Despite the gravity of the subject being debated, party sources initially dismissed the incident as "horseplay".
He attended candidate rallies, went to debate parties and luncheons, and sometimes just walked up and down the streets to find people to talk to.
Unfortunately, no judge can impose honesty on the debating parties.
After his dismal debates, party panjandrums no longer take his famed electoral smarts for granted.
In many European countries, for example, each major political party holds an annual national conference, during which party leaders address grass-roots members and debate party policy.
Representative Fred Upton, a Republican, remained home in Michigan, campaigning, tending his tomatoes and attending a debate party in Kalamazoo.
At the debate party in Phoenix, the largely white crowd was seized by a palpable air of anticipation.
But despite passionate speeches from the floor at the early morning debate, party members voted to postpone any decision until the issue had been examined more closely.
Each of Indonesia's main political parties is centered on one key leader, leaving little room for internal democratic debate, party platforms or even ideologies, beyond being "nationalist" or Islamic-based.
And honestly, who wouldn't rather be at a debate party?
Internally, there was much opposition to any electoral reform when the matter was debated at party conferences.
