Best Fact-Checking Method for Tonight’s Debate?

By Jim on October 22, 2012

This Non Sequitor cartoon has one suggestion on how to keep candidates honest tonight. What other methods might better highlight their falsehoods?

The Onion had a great one-sentence summary of last week’s debate: “Nation Tunes In To See Which Sociopath More Likable This Time.”

I could complain that the debates are driving me to drink, but I’d be a hypocrite for complaining about that.

Tom Blanton October 23, 2012 at 8:31 pm #

I’ve always thought that candidates should be hooked up to some sort of lie detector during debates. Perhaps a voice stress analyzer with a readout at the bottom of the TV screen.

The “lie detector” could also operate some kind of device like the old “Tucker Telephone” which would inflict pain on candidates when they lied.

In lieu of debates, candidates could appear alone with an interrogator with a set of questions which would be asked of all candidates. The candidates would be subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques such as harmless waterboarding or painless sexual humiliation. Stark naked candidates chained to the floor with bright lights in their eyes, air conditioning set to 40 degrees, etc. might be conducive to truth. Plus any of this would be more entertaining than watching buffoons parroting Likud propaganda or making absurd claims about creating jobs.
Jim October 23, 2012 at 8:46 pm #

One drawback to your proposed solution: If we made candidates endure such treatment, then the best individuals in the land might no longer be willing to run for office.
Tom Blanton October 24, 2012 at 12:17 am #

You mean like Mitt and Barry?

Heck, it might not be a bad thing if nobody ever ran for office. It would be good for folks who write in “none of the above” on election day – it would save them a trip to the polls.