How to Run the GOP Debates
May 14th, 2015




Jonathan Martin has a piece on the logistical problems with running a series of GOP presidential debates where there are 12 (or even 17) candidates.

My (only) half joking idea is to run them like the English Premier League: Start by having two tiers of debates for candidates, based on their national poll numbers. Say, Tier A for candidates over 5 percent and Tier B for candidates below that.

Run the A and B debates in the same venue on consecutive days.

And after each series, you relegate the worst two performers from Tier A to the B pool, and elevate the top two performers from Tier B to the A pool.

I know what you’re thinking. How do we decide who these top-two/bottom-two finishers are? Easy: Twitter.



  1. Fin: BOB vs. trolls, defending the Amtrak violinist, and debunking the Game of 72 - EntertainmentTell | TechnologyTell May 15, 2015 at 3:39 pm

    […] A great idea: Run two tiers of GOP presidential debates, with a soccer-like promotion/relegation system. If that happened though, the second-division debate would be way more entertaining (Jonathan V. Last) […]

  2. REPLY
  3. Wysiwyg Mtwzzyzx May 19, 2015 at 11:46 pm

    But the leftist oeratchiks have access to twitter too- it’ll be skewed unfavorably to a bad performer as we split our votes.

  4. REPLY
  5. doesky May 20, 2015 at 9:29 am

    As a white guy, I’d be satisfied with Thomas Sowell alone deciding who gets bumped up or down. Extra points for adding Victor Davis Hanson for middle America representation and Dennis Prager for common sense and values.

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