We asked our Facebook friends to suggest some advice for the candidates in tonight’s presidential debate. We got hundreds of great responses, but here are a few of our favorites.
10. Tomek Jankowski: Ignore your advisers, ignore the media, ignore everyone else and say something substantive — tell us what you really intend to do, without cloaking it in platitudes or ideology-speak.
Mitt Romney is greeted as he steps off his campaign plane in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, as he arrived for his debate against President Barack Obama. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
9. Sheila Jones: Don’t let any lie go unchallenged! Be assertive! [Be] honest!
8. Josh Bernstein: Be animated and energetic. Enthusiasm will bring out the vote! Have a cup of coffee before the debate!
7. Christina Hubbard: Note the way you look in that split-screen as your opponent is talking. Derisive, smirky or goofball looks are not good.
6. Jennifer Michael Be clear and honest about what you believe, with less focus on what the other guy has/has not done.
President Barack Obama, accompanied by debate prep adviser Anita Dunn, right, and senior White House adviser David Plouffe, waves as they leave the Kingsmill Resort, Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012, in Williamsburg, Va., for New York and the presidential debate. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
5. Bryan Radtke: After a question is asked and you find yourself jumping into rhetoric … take a breath, ask yourself if this actually answers the question … then truthfully answer the question
4. Leo Smith: truth, truth and finally…. more truth!
3. Aggie Reed: Passion to do the right thing for the disenfranchised poor and the powerless, and for the middle class that is also losing ground.
2. Terence Rail: Come dressed as Big Bird
1. Cheryl Stolle: Believe that the listeners are intelligent. Do not assume you are so smart the listeners will not see through you.
In the Facebook thread, some themes developed about what you hope to hear tonight. Many of you want the presidential candidates to address the issues that they did not touch on in the first debate, such as the environment, bank regulation, poverty and abortion. Others want third party candidates to have a seat at the debates, such as the Green Party nominee Jill Stein and the Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson. But the most resounding suggestion to the candidates was: “Tell the truth!”
