So, I TiVoed and watched the "debate" last night. I thought the high point was when Tom Brokaw insisted that they'd stick to the agreed-upon format and have no additional follow-ups. Tom lost points when he later on let them have a follow-up.

Along those lines of griping about procedure, it sure would have been nice if the time limits that Tom kept mentioning actually meant something. Early on, I was hoping that they'd just cut the candidates mikes at two minutes. If that makes the candidates look stupid, learn to play by the rules that your campaigns negotiated in advance.

At the end, though, McCain ripped the curtain away and showed that the hand mikes were just props when he forgot to talk into his mike - he had a backup lapel microphone. I guess having a hand mike gives the candidates something to do with one hand while making expressive gestures with the other.

I propose that a future debate use isolation booths, have strictly enforced time limits, and, I don't know... maybe the candidates have to phrase their responses in the form of questions.