Do You Get Tired of Political Debates?

I don't watch...I do my own research without debates. I did hear that Newt got upset last night about his previous marriage being brought into the debate...and that right there makes me know that not watching them is the right decision for me.

I watch the debates. You can learn a lot about them by watching them, and how they answer questions, as well as criticism. I find them important. I have based a lot on the way I vote by them, along with my own research.

I absolve myself of guilt for not watching this round because I won't be voting in the Republican primary. I already know who I will vote for in the presidential election, but I will watch some of those larger debates.

Normally debates don't turn me off but that Gingrich is such a repugnant disgrace of a human being that I can't watch him for more than a few seconds before wanting to throw something at him nor can I take seriously any political party that would seriously consider him for any position.

I'm not so sure they're debates. I think the participants have all escaped from some circus sideshow somewhere...

perhaps you, like many, are turning into political atheists. I know I have.

I get sick of the whole election process. It seems to me that the media and opposing parties are so busy picking apart the personal lives of the candidates that they forget the issues. We need to get this country moving again. We need to fix our economy and get people working again. We need to find a way to fix our medical system and make sure that EVERY American has access to good medical and dental care. We need to take care of our environment and provide jobs. The pipeling that was nixed this week--I have mixed feeling about it. We need good paying jobs and to take care of our planet. The environmental people were concerned because building the pipline would take away natural habitat for wildlife and yes I am concerned about that. But no one talked about the number of people who are on Food Stamps just to survive or the poeple who's unemployment ran out and can't get jobs or the number of people who are about to be foreclosed on because they just can't make it any more. We need to bring jobs back to the US.. I could go on and on but I think you get my point.

I read about all the candidates and usually skip the debates for the opposite party because who cares who wins that (I do read about them though from various sources and watch Meet the Press, so I know their positions). But I do watch debates when final candidates from both sides debate. I will watch my own party's debates if I'm unsure of who I like. Last time I watched all mine because I really didn't know who I liked better, Obama or Hillary. Then I watched main debates because for a moment I considered McCain, but when Palin popped up I didn't really need to watch any more debates to know who NOT to vote for.

The Republicans and Democrats are so VASTLY far apart this time around, you shouldn't have a hard time picking. It won't be as close as the past few elections. As in, this time around, the Republicans are all batsh** crazy. Maybe not Romney, but he's still weak. Not so for last election where McCain was pretty solid before Sarah destroyed his shot. I don't have one single Republican friend who is pleased with their options this time. Not ONE. My main go-to GOP buddy who can always give me the the low down on who is best and why has declared himself "depressed" and considering not voting, because he doesn't hate Obama enough to go just go "vote against him" in favor of a kook.

I like watching them sure enough...the way football fans love to play couch commentator. I love to pick apart the strategy, the spin, the maneuvering and anticipate the surprise "rabbit out the hat" tactics that inevitibly play out until a candidate gets the party endorsement.

These days however, I'm afraid the fun will qwickly dwindle for me as the actual presidential election fast approaches, because the reality of what we actually have to choose from in the way of candidates will set in. So far there has been no knight in shining armor to restore Camelot, to defeat the White Witch, or to be Lord of the Rings.

IMO we haven't had anyone worthy of the post come forward in a long time. So to me, elections are seeming to be more like some tragic epic with a moral about good versus evil. So far, it's looking bleak. I think the problem with everyone (potential candidates) so far is they "all" seem to have the same agenda...one that is self-serving or a desire to be served, instead of an agenda to actually serve the people. They're in it for themselves and their big interest cronies, not to restore the country.

I listen to the first debates, but after the first few debates, I've heard their positions.

I know who wants to provide jobs in a realistic way and I know who says they will provide jobs and don't have any idea what a non-governmental job really is.

I have talked to several people about their candidates and have asked them why they are in favor of that person and it usually comes down to I voted against XXX and I voted for him because of his race or his religion or his lack of religion or because she isn't a man.

Most of the people have made their choice and short of their candidate dropping out or dieing they won't change their mind, even if facts support a different candidate. (Huckabee, a baptist minister and an enemy of the mormon religion, did everything he could to bash Romney, a mormon, because of his religion, not because of his political stand.)

Obama says he's for employment and then killed thousands of new jobs by stopping the pipeline and having the EPA throw red tape infront of other job creating projects.

Oh Well. Good luck to you and yours.

I watch them for entertainment value and also to get purposefully aggravated! I love yelling at the TV for a stress release. (Note to self: Get out more).

I don't watch.
But then I don't watch professional wrestling either.
Both are just as choreographed.
I'd be impressed if any politician anywhere would stand up and say they will tax companies that off-shore jobs or make it more difficult to off-shore, but none of them will do it.
As long as our politicians are slaves to those who seek cheap foreign labor, the American people are not represented politically.
That is not going to change in the next election or the next 20 elections.
Doesn't matter who wins or loses - we Americans lose either way.

I'm with E.S. I watch them for the utter sillyness of it all. Not out of civic duty, or to gauge the candidates. I make my mind up about people in my life and in politics based on what they DO not what they SAY.

my favorite debates were watching Hillary attack Obama, and now look where we are at

i get more tired of the host asking stupid questions like "what do you think of an individual state not allowing contraceptives" or "....a state not allowing gay marriage"

I don't watch the debates either. I try to find info on the web and from different sites. I like to read different opinions and views about what was discussed.

I do not believe that there will ever be a perfect candidate, because this is not a perfect country. We really need someone that can make decisions that will benefit everyone and I don’t see that happening.

I still have an old VCR tape of the Vice-Presidential debates from 1992 called "Al Gore, The Dweeb, and The Other Guy".

Not much has changed since then.

I do not watch them because they aggravate me. I was watching clips of last night's debate on CNN and the first question they asked Gingrich (I think it was the first question) was about his ex wife and an extramarital affair. Really? Don't we have more pressing issues like: education, unemployment, the economy, Afghanistan, etc. All of the politicians who have extramarital affairs (which is most) disgust me, but I still don't think it should be the first question asked during a political debate!

I really enjoy them, but for the same reason I enjoy the Bachelor-the trashy entertainment value (I know, that's bad). I find it fascinating to see who says what, and what the latest drama is, who is mad at who, who sticks their foot in their mouth (see....just like the Bachelor!). I won't be voting for any of the people in last night's debate, but it was still interesting to watch!

I started off watching all of them, but there have been so many that now I'm quite over it. I always catch a synopsis of it afterward so I stay informed, but also because I love laughing ;)

Added: when the final GOP candidate and the President begin their debates, though, I will definitely be watching again.

I don't have cable. I have Netflix and that's IT.

It's fabulous.

I went over to a friend's house and was so surprised by how annoyed I was by the sound of their TV in the background. I don't miss it AT ALL!!!

I don't watch the news. I am often surprised to hear there are things going on that I have no idea about. Like that tent stuff and "I am the 99%"...I have no idea whatsoever.

I did a study in college about the correlation between watching the news and having more of a sense of hopelessness or depression about the state of the world. The outcome was that people who watch the news regularly feel more hopeless and negative about life and are more depressed.

I haven't watched since. Unless it was something like The World Trade Center Plane Crashes, Hurricane Katrina or other disasters that I wanted to know what was going on.

Yes, I watch most of them, tape them if I want to wait to watch and fast forward sometimes. I like hearing what each believes, stands for etc., but I'm not so naive as to think there isn't a lot of politics involved in the whole process in both parties and wonder who to REALLY trust. I admire some but wouldn't vote for them as president, don't like some but think they have good points so I like to sift through it and soon it will be over and we'll have 4 more years. Will it better or not is the question.