None of these questions reveal much about a candidate's personality or cognitive abilities. They're easily reduced to short, well-rehearsed phrases that candidates can recite in their heads and press “play.” What's needed are questions that a week of mountain climbing couldn't prepare them for, questions with a game show twist that forces candidates out of their comfort zone. Questions like these:
A train leaves New York at 8:00 a.m. heading west at 85 mph. Another train leaves Los Angeles heading east at 90 mph. When do the two trains meet, and how much should Amtrak subsidize these trains?
You are two of the least popular candidates in history. What is your most admirable personality trait that critics don't appreciate? (Each candidate will have 30 seconds to answer.)
What is the least admirable personality trait of your opponent that the people you admire are unaware of? (Each candidate will have 15 minutes to respond.)
Which recording artist best reflects your musical taste? Patti Page? Vic Damone? Rudy Vallee? Enrico Caruso?
To Mr. Biden: You say inflation was 9% when you took office. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says it was 1.4%. How accurately can you estimate the price of eggs?
Dear Mr. Trump: You say Trump Tower has 68 floors, but official data says it has 58. How much of a tax deduction would you claim as a service charge for an apartment on a fictitious 10th floor?
Start at 100 and count backwards by sevens.
Finish this sentence: “When I look back on my life, there's one thing I wish I had done…”
If Shakespeare didn't write those plays, who did?
What is your least favorite state and why?
What is the difference between “OPS” and “OPS plus”? (Bonus points will be awarded to candidates who can successfully answer this question without admitting that they do not know what OPS is.)
Name the members of your first cabinet.
President Biden claims he wants to stop big food companies from reducing the amount of snacks in their packages. Trump wants to stop low-pressure toilets. What other incredibly petty policies are you two proposing?
Finish this line: “The most important technological advancement in my life is…” Was it CompuServe? Betamax? Touch-tone phones? Color television?
To Mr. Trump: Some economists argue that the Federal Reserve's focus on the money supply as a proxy for setting interest rates, given its overriding focus on inflation, should look at M2 and M3 as well as M1. Others argue that fiscal policy, with regard to domestic and military spending, is the best focus for inflation concerns. Mr. Trump, would you pretend to understand this question?
To Mr. Biden: Your opponent has faced four criminal indictments, been convicted of sexual abuse and defamation, and has fined his business millions of dollars for financial fraud. Yet a majority of Americans trust him on key issues like the economy and immigration, and see his administration as more successful than yours. Is it too late to back down?
