Debating Linda McMahon's Debating Style

Is There A There There Beyond The Talking Points?

Debates are not Linda McMahon's strong point.

I think we can all agree on that now.

She's fine with opening statements, and closing statements, and saying "shame on you," but runs into trouble with the part that goes in between.

She also has this disconcerting tendency to suddenly point out that she is a woman, which as far as I can tell, is not in dispute.

McMahon's debate woes are not all her fault. Some of the blame resides with the people asking the questions.

Reporters usually, but now always, ask harder questions than those a candidate might get at the monthly meeting of the Greenwich Hat Club.

No only do reporters tend to ask hard questions, they also ask follow-up questions. Memorized talking points don't work nearly as well for follow-up questions.

For example:

Question: "Mrs. McMahon, you want to kill Obamacare, what will you replace it with?

McMahon: "I am a job creator."

Question: "But I asked what would you replace Obamacare with?"

McMahon: "I am a job creator, and I am a woman."

Question: "Thanks for clearing that up, but what is your health care plan?"

McMahon: "I am a job creator, and a woman, and shame on you."

I mean, it's not like there weren't early warning signs that McMahon might have a weakness debating. Heck, last summer her GOP primary opponent, Chris Shays, was good enough to point out:

"She's not qualified to be the next senator, clearly. If you had enough debates, you would see it. That's why she doesn't want debates.''

There are two ways McMahon can dispel the growing perception that she's long on "I approve this message" and short on substance.

She can ditch the talking points, fully engage in the remaining two debates, and demonstrate she has a wide range of knowledge on a variety of issues.

Or she can run television ads saying she has a wide range of knowledge on a variety of issues. And that people should vote for her because Chris Murphy missed mortgage payments … and shame on him.

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