I can't remember the last time we had an election which was about the issues and NOT about giving offense or claiming to be offended.
Modern lefty candidates can't win if we stick to issues. You start to argue issues, and you get into rights and political theory, ultimately exposing socialism in their theories. They then start with the indignant declarations of dirty campaigning.
I'd absolutely eat-up 4 hours of real debate between McCain and Obama. Let's spend an HOUR debating the future of social security. Another HOUR talking about state-funded health care. And so on.
Any time someone veers off-topic, they get cut off by the moderator. Or some other penalty. Maybe sharks, with laser beams. Or ill-tempered sea bass.
Tell me how you'll pay for it (or how you'll cut taxes as a result!). Use a side-screen visual aide if you need to, or a projector in the debate hall. Come prepared. Give them the topics in advance, give each 15 minutes to present a cogent plan, 15 minutes of 90 second point-counterpoint arguments between each other, and 15 minutes of questions from the moderators or other sources.
Call each other commies, fascists, idealists, Randian terrorists, Orwellian uber-pigs, whatever. Get dirty. But use the issues.
Frankly, I'd be okay with every vapid, facet-less, answerless politician being dragged to death by an 18 wheeler. Or a team of horses. Or mountain rams. Yeah. Mountain rams would be good.