CNN does the debate

I just finished watching the vice presidential debate on CNN, and the biggest complaint I have about the coverage is the stupid little monitor at the bottom of the screen measuring the approval of independent men and women from ohio. There are two major things I think are wrong with this monitor.

First of all, it is extremely distracting. I found myself looking at it throughout the debate because it was right below where they put the question they were answering, so when I looked at the question, I was immediately drawn to the monitor as well to see how these voters were reacting to the candidates' responses. This, in turn, caused me to stop paying attention to what the candidates were saying and instead see how people were responding to what they were saying. 

Second, it emphasizes the "horse race" aspect of the election even more. The debates are the few times when candidates have the chance to speak at length about issues and when voters can see how they stand and can react under pressure, and the monitor undermines the purpose of the debating by drawing attention to how everyone else is reacting and pulling your attention away from the issues.