Missing the first half-hour of the debate can be dangerous to your objectivity. That was the conclusion I reached this morning.
Last night I was so puzzled by the difference between my perception of the debate and the post-debate analysts report that I even blogged on that difference. So, my question to myself was, “What happened? Is the difference simply a matter of opinion?” At least one person charged that I let bias show up in my analysis. (Of course, I generally ignore that type of charge, since that is the easy charge to make if you disagree with someone.) So, I did some research.
My conclusion? I missed the first 25 minutes because of the Bible Study and it appears that, in this debate, those were the crucial 25 minutes in this debate. All the people I have read agree that it was a strong and vital debate during that time. And, they all agree that the second half hour–the time I first watched after returning from Bible Study–was a disgusting mess.
Since the first thing I saw was that disgusting mess, it colored my conclusions. While the debate came back to being a debate in the third half hour, it was too late. By then, I had blogged my disgust with the mess, and it colored my conclusions even about the last half hour. So, reading various other people, it appears that about 50 minutes of the debate was actually very good.
I stand by my opinions of the disgusting part of the debate, but there I am in good company.
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