Debate impact: Is it more than just average TV?

Millions are watching the presidential debates -- many of them likely voters who have already made up their minds who will get their vote.

But there are some undecided voters who are looking for something, anything, to help them determine if there is a clear choice for the office.

And are they finding the information they need? Well, sort of.

The debate formats have been somewhat flawed -- and there are some who say that the moderators chosen for the clashes have been impediments to the process. And there is more than a little evidence that perhaps they are correct.

But can you still get a read on a candidate from these confrontations?

Yes, if you are careful to look beyond the politics.

The bottom line is that there are basic policy differences between the candidates -- and one has a record to judge.

It all comes down to trust -- and a determination of whether someone understands what it will take to move this country forward.

To ferret that out of a debate can be tricky -- and frustrating. But it takes looking beyond the one-liners and the political speak and combining what you hear with the realities you live.

So, keep watching. It might not be scintillating television, but it might give you some insight as Election Day nears.

Published in Editorials on October 17, 2012 10:46 AM