Democratic Debate Viewers Are Being Made Sick by the Stage’s Moving Background

Less than 24 hours after the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump, seven Democratic candidates hoping to clinch the nomination ahead of next year’s election engaged in the sixth debate ahead of the primary. While the crowded field has sparked many debates as to each candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, there was one thing everyone agreed upon: the moving background was terrible.

The debate, which was presented by PBS NewsHour and Politico, included a stage backdrop that featured the outlets’ respective logos that moved ever-so-slowly. As the Daily Dot noted, it proved to be a distracting experience for many who tuned in to watch. Of course, Twitter was there for them to air their grievances.

New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow tweeted that the background was driving him “crazy,” while researcher Joe Danziger agreed, calling the effect “nauseating.”

Others also weighed in, with comments claiming the logos were giving them a headache, making them seasick, or were otherwise “deeply unpleasant,” as one viewer wrote.

Tonight’s debate was held at the Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and featured the smallest roster of candidates yet. Taking the stage tonight were former Vice President Joe Biden, Senators Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar and South Bend, IN Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Joining them were Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer.

Other candidates, including former mayors Julián Castro and Cory Booker, didn’t meet the prerequisites to appear on stage, which included a polling and donor threshold. Despite not appearing in the debate, the candidates are still actively running for president.

The Democratic debates first kicked off in June and was plagued by an audio issue that left moderators Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow, as well as the audience, quite frustrated. The fourth debate, which was held in October, closed on a question about their “surprising friendships,” which was a reference to Ellen Degeneres being seen palling around with former President George W. Bush.

Castro, who did appear on stage at that debate, called the question “journalistic malpractice.”

“I challenge CNN and The New York Times to ask, finally ask, about homelessness and housing. I tried to insert a little bit about that in some of my answers. But we talked about Ellen at the end. I know what the point of the question was, but we keep leaving some of these huge issues that impact families off of the question agenda at these debates. And really, it’s journalistic malpractice to do that.”