It's debatable.

I'm a political junky. I love the debates. I loved the conventions. (Well, I loved one of them more...)

Watching debates is difficult for me. I love hearing the details of what's happening, I love the arguing, I love seeing the differences between candidates, I love the oratory, I love the conversation.

But this year -- as I've learned more about how complicated these issues -- I find myself so upset by how these debates work.

• What are the facts? Who is lying? I have a pretty good idea, especially about topics important to me. But I think that the advent of Google means we can fact-check this crap. Check it and call candidates on lying. There should be proof in your pudding -- where is your plan?
• What is your answer? I think there should be a honking horn to indicate a time for a simple, complete answer has passed.
• Visual aides! I hate Power Point, but I don't mind a good whiteboard. I think there's a place there for some visual representation of data. 
• Complexity -- These issues are really complicated. It's not losing to see that there's more to it than a simple, easy, cute answer. B gets frustrated when President Obama responds to questions about the economy with answers about education and healthcare. But that's the rub -- the economy depends on education and healthcare. Those things all work together.

I watched the debate feeling frustrated and exasperated about things. But I know that the complexity and truth of these matters will come through. I know that people care how their kids, how their family, how their friends, how their fellow people make it in this climate.