Straw Poll: Applying "American Idol Elimination Rules" to the Debate

[CorpGovActivist]

Pretend you're Simon Cowell. Pick one "contestant" to vote off the stage for the next performance.

I used the same order as the candidates appeared on stage, left to right.

Please pick the person you think was least effective, least persuasive, least articulate.

[babylonsister]

1. Now you've done it!

:evilgrin:

[CorpGovActivist]

2. I'm Genuinely Curious...

... because if the same amount of time had been available with one less candidate on the stage, some of the answers could have been more nuanced.

- Dave

[babylonsister]

4. These debates have never been 'fair' as far as time goes.

I vote for a debate sponsored by the DNC, with moderators with no obvious agenda other than to get genuine answers. In an empty room.
Gravel's absence tonight didn't make it much better. Now, who could we get rid of? And your poll is blowing my mind.

[CorpGovActivist]

6. I'd Favor Auto-Timed Microphones to Remedy That n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

8. "your poll is blowing my mind"

I love when a poll surprises me.

: )

- Dave

[Blackhatjack]

3. I'll say it... The more Richardson speaks the more sure I am he needs to withdraw...

He is not a clear thinker on issues, but he talks all around the eventual answers he gives.

He is better than any of the Repub Candidates, but I would find a place for him in the next Dem Administration --he should not be President.

He sounds like he is running for VP.

[KittyWampus]

5. That's where I'm at w/Richardson. He looks good on paper. I was set to support him.

But after every debate I've thought less and less of him (as POTUS contender).

I've doubts that he'd help all that much as VP.

[Basileus Basileon]

7. Me too. Used to love him.

After the first debate I had reservations. After the second, I started reconsidering. Fast forward to now, and I don't want to see him within 100 yards of a Presidential ticket. I would, however, love to see him as Sec'y of State.

[gateley]

9. kick -

[CorpGovActivist]

10. The Guy in Your Avatar/Sig Pic...

... showed quite a bit of humor last night (note the lack of votes for him in the poll so far).

- Dave

[DutchLiberal]

11. Politics shouldn't be about idols.

[CorpGovActivist]

26. See #24 below...Thanks! n/t

[Atman]

12. Are people reading your poll correctly? I cannot believe DK is the #1 pick

I'd guess many are instinctively clicking FOR a candidated, not against them. The way this place has been generally pro-Dennis, I find it hard to believe that so many would want HIM off the island before Richards or just about any of the others. Something doesn't add up.

.

[Basileus Basileon]

13. Well, possible his supporters are confused, but

keep in mind that in "who do you not like" polls here, DK tends to come in second to Clinton (at least the few I've seen). I think there's a large, quiet population of people who are tired of the DK love, and who enjoy being able to register their irritation with his supporters in an anonymous fashion.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

17. Dennis Kucinich cost our nation's education system over $2 billion last night.

Because he was pretending to be a Presidential candidate, he wasn't doing his job and voting to override Bush's veto of the FY 2008 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill. We were 2 votes short, and Kucinich was one of them. The price tag will be over $2 billion when a final bill is done.

I'm sorry, but if the Senate candidates can take a beating for not voting, Kucinich will too.

[DutchLiberal]

35. Yes, I accidentally instinctively voted for him. Only afterward, I realized my mistake.

[LSK]

14. why is DK leading this vote? Did people not READ the OP?

I vote Richardson gone.

[NightWatcher]

15. why must we "American Idolize" everything??

Can you also "supersize" our picks?

I know what you mean in the OP, but I hate that we worship this pop culture crap.

[CorpGovActivist]

24. It Makes the Concept Relatable...

... and is not meant to trivialize the importance of picking the nominee.

It simply makes the concept of voting for the "weakest" performance relatable, that's all.

- Dave

[iamthebandfanman]

16. people didnt read

cause kucinich would NEVER be in the lead TO GET KICKED OUT OF THE DEBATES

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

18. I read it just fine, thankyouverymuch. (nt)

[CorpGovActivist]

28. Red Sox Fans Can Read?!? LOL! JK...n/t

[CorpGovActivist]

19. There Will Be No Hanging Chads...

... debate. Let's assume our fellow DUers can read.

- Dave

[iamthebandfanman]

20. you know what they say

about when you 'ass u me' ;)

[CorpGovActivist]

22. The Title of the Thread Is Clear...

... as is the lead-in.

If one is willing to believe that a particular candidate's supporters are stupid enough to mis-read a poll, one would also have to be willing to assume that they could well mis-read the Mapquest instructions to their local polling place on the primary date, and not have their vote counted correctly then, either.

; )

- Dave

[iamthebandfanman]

30. well actually

people could just assume they were voting for the one they like best...
because the proccess of elmination on american idol is people vote for the one they like the most, and the one with the least votes gets kicked off...

you call and vote for the one you want, not the one u hate....

[CorpGovActivist]

31. Thanks for the Critique...

... I'll make sure that the elimination round title and lead-in are crystal clear. Please feel free to suggest "idiot-resistant" language.

; )

- Dave

[iamthebandfanman]

32. lol

hey, believe me im not claiming im not an idiot...
i can just see the confusion if you only read the subject...
i think it does say alot about those people tho... how quick they react without reading everything ;)

so no suggestions from me, im just as big of an idiot as anybody on DU ... lol

[CorpGovActivist]

33. Note I Didn't Say, "Idiot-Proof"...

... as experience has taught that it's as elusive as the unified theory of everything.

; )

- Dave

[Fresh_Start]

25. I read it just fine as well

DK is Bush in leftish clothes.
He knows all the answers.
His way or the highway.

[stray cat]

29. I think the literacy rate is pretty high for DU

Polls are also a good way to express honest opinions without getting your head chopped off....

[CorpGovActivist]

34. Polls/Honest Opinions...

... that's why I structured it this way.

- Dave

[David Zephyr]

21. I don't understand the votes against Dennis here. That surprises me.

I will be watching your polls.

I certainly did not vote to eliminate Dennis, though. Here's hoping his supporters will show up here.

[CorpGovActivist]

23. The Purpose of the Poll...

... is for people to register their honest feelings about who they would eliminate, based on performance in the debate. That's why it's not a vote "FOR" one's candidate of choice, because that just becomes a re-hash.

I think it's easier for people to be honest about who to vote off the island. Chances are, in your workplace, everyone knows who that team player would be. Hence the American Idol rules format.

; )

- Dave

[Fresh_Start]

27. Look at low vote count for Biden

it seems to confirm that people understand the poll.

[Atman]

37. It was a horribly designed poll.

It is a natural reaction to assume you're voting FOR something, not against. We don't go to the polls and select which candidate we DON'T want.

Other posters have already acknowledged that they accidentally voted against DK, thinking they were voting for him.

This whole thing should be scrapped and started over.

.

[CorpGovActivist]

38. A Single Poster - ONE - Has Voiced That He Misvoted

Look, my own choice to be tossed (Richardson) didn't make it into the final three. But I'm not going to second-guess the results based on a single reported instance of a voter skipping the instructions and proceeding straight to the vote.

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

36. Feel Free to Keep Voting, but the First 100 Votes ...

... will be used for the runoff.

- Dave

[elaineb]

39. I'm not voting in this poll, but I wanted to say:

I believe the main reason so much of the electorate sits out elections is just this sort of "American Idol" type crap that the media pundits use to "rank" and push forward or withhold coverage from many political candidates. Honestly, Hillary Clinton right now is my last choice for presidential candidate, but it's certainly not because of her effectiveness, persuasiveness or articulation in debates. It's because of her ISSUE POSITIONS that she's my last choice.

And to all those who say candidates should be eliminated from the debates because of a perceived lack of seriousness or dearth of campaign funds, that's your opinion. My opinion is that the candidates who distinguish themselves the most on important issues should be allowed to debate and those who don't sufficiently distinguish themselves from the rest ought to be eliminated except for one or two. (Actually, I don't REALLY think anyone should be eliminated until they decide to drop out of the race--just thought I'd offer an alternative wacky proposal to the OP's wacky proposal).

Since the progressive left positions held by Kucinich are held by a fair number of Americans (a rather substantial number if those myriad "blind taste-test" polls are accurate), then the center of the party ought to be making every effort to make sure the left has a voice in this presidential campaign, or the alienation demonstrated on DU these days ain't NOTHIN' compared to what it's going to be if we get another centrist in office, when thanks to Bush's negative ratings we finally have a chance to make some serious progress on vital and important issues that have been neglected for too long. It's not enough that we get a Democrat in office to simply undo what Bush has done. We need to finally start making real progress again in this country. Let's hear from the candidates who are ready to propose and implement progressive solutions.

[CorpGovActivist]

40. Thank You...

... for a very well-reasoned post.

Wacky polls like this one will soon give way to the only ones that matter for eliminating the remaining candidates: the primaries and caucuses, in which real voters will pick the nominees.

But just as Idol fans whose top choice is eliminated have to decide whether to keep participating for the remainder of the season, so too will Democratic activists whose top choice is eliminated from the field.

Best,

- Dave

[elaineb]

41. Point well taken

Hopefully Democratic activists whose top choice is eliminated from the field will take the rest of the race seriously enough to support another candidate who represents them sufficiently, rather than losing interest immediately, as I suspect most American Idol voters do.

I just detest that this kind of ranking seems to be what our US election contests have come down to. I primarily blame the media (who else?).

[CorpGovActivist]

42. I Take a Counterintuitive View, Perhaps...

... I'm grateful so many younger Americans have been given an object lesson in the importance of voting in general, and their own vote in particular.

: )

- Dave

[elaineb]

43. LOL--Never thought of it that way!

So American Idol doth make good citizens of us all!

Oh, man. Were we that close to losing our democratic system that American Idol had to save us?

;)

[CorpGovActivist]

44. Some Teachers I Know...

... used it as a "teachable moment," allowing students to vent for 5 minutes each week about the results show.

- Dave