Walter's Perspective: Let's Make Sure Voters Win The Debate
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Are you planning to watch the presidential debate on Wednesday? I am, to see what President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are like face-to-face, and hear what they say specifically about the economy.
Will Obama convince me it's on the way back, or will Romney convince me it's not? That will depend on how convinced they are.
And I want to see how comfortable and honest they look when trying to be sincere, or severe.
What Obama and Romney are looking for is a phrase or a word, a zinger for the media. That's where the power is in politics, the media spreading a zinger.
The minute the debate ends Wednesday, the media will declare a winner, which will dramatically influence the electorate. That's a huge responsibility, so we need to practice to not spread a zinger.
Better to spread substance, so the winner of the debate can be the voter, which is who the winner ought to be.
