Debasing debates

Came across this bit of fun fluff today:

http://www.newyorker.com/shouts/content/?041004sh_shouts

The background - there is a group that puts on these presidential debates and that defines what the ground rules are. It tends to keep the little players out of the game and keep folks from saying things like, "Your mother!"

On our elevator at work, we have this little screen that shows news blurbs and advertisments as you ride up and down...and today, they had a question that you could go to their web site and vote on. The question was, "Who do you think will win the debate?" Now, as far as I know, there is never any "winner" of a presidential debate...yes, the press debates over who the winner might have been, but since there's no scoring done, there's no winner. So, as Jesse Jackson once said on Saturday Night Live, "The question is moot!"

And what the heck is up with educated people saying "mute question?" I eventually stopped correcting them and chose to consider them just plain ignorant. Its much easier that way and makes me feel that much more smug. Woo hoo.