(NC-13) Debate 2 - Bernie Reeves Vs. Bill Randall - More Impressions

polifrog
Previous comments on this debate are here.



Some observations only come with time...

Debates between politicians are nothing like debate club debates.  They are scored entirely different.  School debates are decided on facts, knowledge and points scored while debates between politicians rely more heavily on impressions.  Bernie Reeves appears to be unaware of this.


Bernie Reeves has an admirable  ability to effortlessly pull information from the recesses of his mind. I  envy him for it, as I don't have the ability myself, and further, I find myself at a total loss in impromptu situations.  He is at home in those situations and thus has an undeniable edge going into any debate.  Why,  then, did he go on to loose this debate?

I believe the answer is multi layered.

It begins with a trait that appears to be a strength initially, but in the hands  of Reeves' works to his detriment.  That trait is his seemingly unlimited  well of knowledge.  In nearly every answer to almost all questions posed Reeves has a wealth of facts and history that he can not help but put on  parade. Perhaps more accurately, he can't help but put himself on parade.  Unfortunately, there are no short answers for Reeves. 

The result is that he often looses himself in the eddies of his learning as he winds his way through his answers.  He does not seem to know how to pare  his answers down to....answers.  Coherent understandable answers are the root of a win.  When Reeves looses himself, he looses his audience.

In the end, attendees are treated to a stampede of facts and history that attempt to answer the question, but in the end only hide Reeves' answers (which are there) in a needless cloud of knowledge.

I imagine it is frustrating to Reeves to  loose to  Randall, a man who debates in short memorized answers.  Unfortunately, from that frustration is born Reeves' irritation with Randall's  sometimes pithy answers.  Pithy answers have their place, though, as they get to the point with a thud and voters like that.

Memorized answers or, at least, some debate preparation  would give much need structure to Reeves' free wheeling impromptu debating style and lend Reeves some control over the lasting impression of the debate.







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