Presidential debates

I don't get it. Why are the negotiations for these debates so high profile? Why does President Bush's team insist on having not more than 2 debates? Don't the citizens have the right to hear where the candidates stand on issues before casting their votes?

I have always admired the political system in America. But now that I am a veteran of two presidential elections, I have mixed feeling. It is not as free and democratic as it is made out to be. Strong words but I have my reasons. There are many issues - campaign financing (i.e. big money influance), more rhetoric than substance during the campaign, creating vote banks (African Americans always vote Democratic and conservative christians vote Republican) etc. What happened in Florida in 2000 really bothered me. And talk about the Supreme Court? They stopped the recount. Why? Some stupid technicality. They don't do that even in a "3rd world" (as they like to call) country like India where democracy is still evolving.

Since I grew up in India and spent 22 years of my life there, I always compared the two great democracies. India is the world's largest democracy. I always wished that India would get to the point where the parties would talk issues and crooks won't get elected. I wished that people's voice will be heard more. I wished people would vote on issues rather than ideologies and religious/caste affiliations. Now that I know more, Indian political parties seem to be pretty alright and the system works. Electronic voting was introduced for the first time (first country in the world to have electronic voting machines) with great success. People wanted change and the BJP govt. was booted out. US can definitely learn a few things from the Indian electoral system!!!!