Because the media aren't up to the presidential debate task, writes Cynthia Stead in the Cape Cod Times.

This election cycle had 20-odd candidates, not including rumors, winnowed down to the final two. After the two-year primary cycle, these debates were important to inform the public about the stances and temperaments of the survivors - and were hideously bungled by the Commission on Presidential Debates, a wholly owned subsidiary of the successful campaigns.

Jim Lehrer did a respectable job of herding cats in the first debate, almost getting the candidates to answer the questions actually asked instead of ones they wanted to answer. The vice presidential debate was a ratings star, but Gwen Ifill did a terrible job as moderator, unable to get questions answered. Even the ones she chose to ask, like, 'What is your greatest weakness' reeked of Entertainment Tonight.

(h/t Media Nation)