Why do VP candidates debate each other anyway?

[Muttocracy]

Shouldn't it be Pres vs. Pres or Pres & VP vs. Pres & VP? It's not like we have a separate vote for VP - people either vote for the person at the top, or for the team. :shrug:

Maybe I'm just thinking it would be fun to see the 2 GOPers debating each other while 2 Dems beat up on them!

[FrenchieCat]

1. sort of a

TRADITION?

[Muttocracy]

7. I have a serious lack of respect for tradition! nt

[sniffa]

2. In a tag-team match

They need managers too to distract the ref while the foreign object is used. I'm think Joementum for McCain, and Clinton for Obama.

[AtomicKitten]

3. It's traditional entertainment for the masses.

[JI7]

4. because if the President dies they take over

[Muttocracy]

6. but it's not like if the sitting president dies, the VP has to compete with the other VP nom again

[JI7]

11. people who feel equally about Presidential Candidates

might decide to vote based on VP.

i don't think it matters too much but i think it's just a way to let people see them because they could be 2nd in line to being President if anything happened.

[Muttocracy]

12. I agree the VPs need attention, but I think they need attention vs. opposite Pres nom.

not each other. Comparing Bentsen and Quayle or Edwards and Cheney doesn't say much about the real comparison on which people vote. (Dukakis-Bentsen vs. Bush-Quayle, Kerry-Edwards vs. Bush-Cheney)

[highplainsdem]

5. Because the VP is a heartbeat away from the presidency and it's important to know about them.

A debate helps with that. We are not voting for the nominee and his secretary. If the VP wasn't a heartbeat away from the presidency, then that choice could always be left until AFTER the election.

What do you have against that debate?

[Peacetrain]

8. The VP canidates usually go for the jugular.

They say things the actual canidates do not, but would like to!

[Muttocracy]

9. right, but I want our VP to go for McCain's, not McQuayle's nt

[Peacetrain]

10. McCain, is kind of untouchable

in a sense. Not only because of his prisoner of war history, but also his age. Anyone else and Obama would have chewed him up and spit him out, Chicago style. I think he has let McCain tie himself up in knots quite a few times, and it is starting to make an impact on people. This is not showing so much in the polls just yet, but I am hearing it out in the real world, more and more. People are very uncomfortable with McCains not being able to stay on message. May not be fair, but older people have to cross a higher bar when it comes to things like that. So it is a double edged sword, we may not be able to attack him head on, but it works for us in the long run. I know that sounds cold, but it is what it is.