Why isn’t there a standardized test for Presidential candidates?

We’ve all sat in a large room filled with silence as a teacher-like presence passes out a 4 x 10 sheet of paper filled with empty circles. We’ve all wondered if two #2 pencils will make it through the next 90 minutes. We’ve all wondered why our performance on 150 seemingly random questions could possibly affect whether the school gets a new playground next year.
Imagine this scenario played out on a town hall stage before an audience. Two participants sit on stage at desks, empty except a box of sharpened #2 pencils. The teacher in this scenario is Anderson Cooper. A sheet full of empty circles is handing to each participant. The test consists of 150 yes or no questions - three each from each state generated via an online mechanism that allows any and all US IP addresses to put in their ideas.

The participants, of course, are the Presidential candidates. The test is designed to eliminate spin. The test is given so that each candidate must answer on their own without campaign managers or speech writers manipulating the system to satisfy all polls. They are given 90 minutes to complete the test. At the conclusion, the tests are digitally reprinted in full on the cover of every newspaper in the land - doodle marks and all.

At this point, the candidates can spin all they want. The #2 pencil does not provide much wriggle room.

Wouldn’t you like to know the straight forward answers to following types of questions?
1. Is a military solution for Iran an option?
2. Will you set a timeline for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq?
3. Do you believe that past performance in the political arena accurately predicts future performance?
4. Is the economy more important than environmental concerns?
5. Is overseas outsourcing of jobs more a concern than efforts to retrain the American worker for more relevant jobs?
6. During your first 100 days as President, will you assign a task force to address why Detroit has a graduation rate of only 25%?
7. Will you create an initiative whereby every individual upon eligibility is mandated to consult with an individual Medicare specialist regarding gap and supplemental options resulting either in coverage or a non-election form?
8. Would you support an initiative to publish an annual audit of government spending to account for every dollar spent?
9. Your question here.
And on and on…

Imagine the conversations and debates that would arise from this simple mechanism. And to keep it equally biased for each side, allow Fox News to select 75 of the final questions and CNN the other 75 from the states’ pool of submissions.

If you are pre-empting a comedy to show this proceeding, you can also have Rush Limbaugh and James Carville take the test at the same time. Don’t let them sit too close to each other, though. I’m sure there would be cheating going on.