A debate playlist for two men singing different tunes

By Richard Lee

By the time Joe Biden and Donald Trump take the stage tonight for the first debate of the 2020 campaign, most voters will already have made up their minds about how they will cast their ballots. In fact, many Americans will already have voted.

So if watching the two candidates argue for 90 minutes is not going to sway you one way or another, here are a few musical selections that not only will keep you involved with the six debate topics that moderator Chris Wallace has selected; they also will keep you entertained.

Is it still the economy, stupid?

By Richard Lee

“It’s the economy, stupid,” the phrase that James Carville coined when he was a strategist for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, has always been sound advice for those running for office.

Voters tend to vote on pocketbook issues. If the economy is strong and their personal financial situation is solid, they feel comfortable with the person in charge. Conversely, when people are struggling, they look for a change.

The journalism lessons of ‘Almost Famous’

By Richard Lee

Almost Famous, which was released 20 years ago this month, is more than an entertaining tale of rock’n’roll as told through the lens of a character based on Cameron Crowe and the work he did as a teenager covering some of the most popular acts in the nation for Rolling Stone.

It also is a movie about journalism. In fact, an early version of the script was titled The Journalist.