Letters to the Editor: Can we have a presidential debate on character?

To the editor: Does a presidential candidate’s character still matter to voters in America? What if we changed the focus of the Sept. 10 presidential debate from the “usual” variety of important issues to just one — the character of each candidate?

I have an “outside the box” suggestion: Forget debating the usual issues and focus entirely on each candidate’s character traits. I think this approach would provide an opportunity for the American people to discover who former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris really are.

So, what would a discussion on the moral character of each candidate look like? The moderator might consider addressing honesty, integrity, compassion and even the Golden Rule. A few examples of possible questions to ask each of the candidates might be:

When have you made or admitted a mistake? What did you do to correct it? When have you felt bad about your behavior? When have you apologized? When are you emotional? What are your strengths and weaknesses? What is important to you? When have you done an act of kindness?

Talk about your faith. Talk about your listening skills, especially when you disagree with someone. Talk about loving your neighbor and how you have shown concern for a stranger. What makes you sad? What humbles you?

If this type of “debate” were to happen, it could be an eye opener for many of us.

Howard Bolinger, La Quinta

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To the editor: I wish the corporate media (including yourselves) would stop referring to these political smack-downs as “debates.”

Real debates would be held at academia-based debate societies without audiences, with neutral moderators who present propositions for the debaters to comment on and support with objective facts and data, followed immediately by scoring by a team of independent judges.

Calling these reality shows “debates” amounts to journalistic malpractice.

Daniel Harrison, Chula Vista