# The electoral debates and terrorism: what if? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 8, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010 "2015-11-08T15:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/1 "2015-11-08T15:10:14Z")
What if some nutter or terrorist were to bomb the presidential pre-primary candidate debates and kill all the candidates? Who then would stand for election? Whose candidacies would be re-opened? On the Democrat side, ISTM that Biden is likely a shoe-in. But what of the Republican side? Would Walker have another crack at it? Or would people like Haley take up the torch? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/2 "2015-11-08T15:34:33Z")
There’d be so much chaos, we’d just hold off the election and Obama would be president for a little longer. Okay, probably not. On the republican side, Christie and Graham would rise to the top. Romney might jump back in. I agree that Biden would be a shoe-in. Elizabeth Warren would be a great option too. ---
**Author:** ![bethewave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@bethewave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bethewave)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/3 "2015-11-08T15:44:52Z")
It’d be just the break Rick Perry has been waiting for! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/4 "2015-11-08T15:50:49Z")
I’m just picturing George Pataki standing in the rubble, saying “Hello…I survived the explosion but I could use a little help…I’m still alive here…anyone?..” ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/5 "2015-11-09T13:47:06Z")
Bad **Nemo** , bad! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/6 "2015-11-09T14:08:18Z")
Assuming somebody only bombed one party’s debates, ISTM that whoever won that nomination would win the presidency easily. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/7 "2015-11-09T17:25:42Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Assuming somebody only bombed one party’s debates, ISTM that whoever won that nomination would win the presidency easily. Even if that ended up being Trump vs Biden? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/8 "2015-11-09T19:24:16Z")
Especially if it ended up being Trump vs. Biden. I think you misread what **RNATB** wrote. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/9 "2015-11-09T19:48:34Z")
Yes, that. Call it the LBJ effect. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/10 "2015-11-09T20:31:16Z")
Good gravy! Now I wonder what the hell security is like during these silly things! IMO, it would be pure and utter hell. One campaign blaming another for setting up the bombing/attack, the winner being declared the Terrorist In Charge, etc. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/11 "2015-11-09T21:00:17Z")
I just got my info on attending tomorrow night’s debate. Basically, I can bring in my cell phone but no electronic items that are larger in size than that. Also says I have to go through a magnetometer for entry. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/12 "2015-11-09T21:03:50Z")
Here, I made [some quick screencaps](http://imgur.com/a/KbxnN) of the debate instructions I was sent, in case anybody is curious. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-electoral-debates-and-terrorism-what-if/737010/13 "2015-11-09T21:15:08Z")
Don’t get any ideas. Got our eyes on you, bucko. 😉