Why Debate?
By Kristen Nabozny, Tyler Holme and Jacob Meiers
1858
•Abraham Lincoln Vs. Stephen A. Douglas engaged in the first nationally significant debates for a seat in the U.S. Senate. •Lincoln and Douglas used these debates to speak to the public who were at the seven debates in Illinois about the issues of slavery and rights.
The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln and Douglas were debating over which candidate represented the legacy of the nation’s founders and the best solution for slavery.
The debates were not Lincoln’s idea. They were forced upon the candidate by Illinois’s Republican State Committee.
Stephen Douglas
The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.
1960
John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon addressed the public about the issue of global communism in the first televised presidential debate. The debates are remembered for how the candidates appeared. Nixon was sick on the day of the debates, therefore the viewers believed that Kennedy looked more presentable. However, radio listeners thought that Richard Nixon had sounded better than John F. Kennedy.
During the first debate on September 26, 66.4 million people viewed these debates.
Richard Nixon (left) and John F. Kennedy (right)
The first Nixon-Kennedy debate. (1991). In M. Nelson (Ed.), Historic documents on presidential elections 1787-1988.
The Equal Time Rule, passed with the Communication Act of 1934 was suspended so that the Kennedy-Nixon debate could take place without minor-party candidates.
John F. Kennedy (left) and Richard Nixon (right)
The first Nixon-Kennedy debate. (1991). In M. Nelson (Ed.), Historic documents on presidential elections 1787-1988.
1976
In 1976, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford debated three times. Although it brought many issues to focus, the debates did not influence voters. Ford made a stronger appearance than Carter because his ratings went up shortly after the debate on September 23rd, 1976. In the next two debates, Jimmy Carter regained the ground that he lost during the first debate and won the presidential election.
Jimmy Carter (left) and Gerald Ford (right)
•On on September 23rd, 69.7 million people viewed the debates.
The political year, 1976. (1977). In Congress and the Nation, 1973-1976. Vol. 4
1980
Ronald Reagan won against Jimmy Carter because of his warm image through the use of folksy anecdotes and his easy-to-understand answers.
80.6 million people viewed the debate on October 28th.
The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.
League of Women Voters
From 1976-1984, the League of Women Voters sponsored the presidential debates. Since 1988, the presidential debates have been sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Presidential election process: General election campaign. (2005). In Guide to U.S. elections, 5th ed. (Vol. I).
In 2000 and 2004, participants needed to fulfill three requirements to be able to participate in the debates:
(1) They had to be constitutionally eligible for the election
(2) Must have gained access to the ballot in enough states to have a chance of winning. (3) Need 15 percent of national support.
Modern Debates
Bigelow, N. S. (2005) The Evolution of Debates in P.S. Hernson, Guide to Political Campaigns in America
The Media
The average number of viewers for presidential debates is about sixty million people.
The media not only broadcast the debate, but they also offer postdebate commentary and analysis. Commentators feel it is up to them to tell viewers who won the debate.
Bigelow, N.S. (2005) How The Media Cover Debates. In P.S. Hernson, Guide to Political Campaigns in America.
Debate Strategies
Attack- An offensive strategy where the candidate insults the opponents issues, party or character. Defend- Develops responses to anticipated attacks. Sell- Allows the candidate to present their credentials for holding office.
Bigelow, N.S. (2005).Debate Strategy. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005482. Document ID: g2camp-431-18693-1005482
Ignore- A strategy in which the candidates debate on their own terms and pay little attention to the opponent. “Me too… me better“- Allows candidates to agree on an issue, but explain how their solution is more effective.
Bigelow, N.S. (2005).Debate Strategy. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005482. Document ID: g2camp-431-18693-1005482
Flaws of Debates
Candidates are often instructed by their campaign advisers to avoid specific answers.
It promotes a shallow discussion of issues. Biased media often has commentators tell the public who had won the debate.
Bigelow, N. S. (2005). The Effects of Debates, Guide to political campaigns in America.
Effects On Voters
Solidify existing support among partisans.
Captures swing votes. Generates public interest in politics. Inform the public about the policies of the candidates. Convey the personality and style of a candidate.
Bigelow, N. S. (2005). The Effects of Debates, Guide to political campaigns in America.
The First Obama-McCain Debate
John McCain (left) and Barack Obama (right)
Approximately 52.4 million Americans viewed the Presidential Debate on September 26th, 2008. The candidates debated Foreign Policy and National Security at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS.
History of Debates, 2008 at debates.org
Vice Presidential Debates
On October 2nd, 2008, the vice presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin had more than 70 million viewers. The audience was 34 percent greater for the vice presidential debate than the presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama on September 26th, 2008.
Joe Biden (left) and Sarah Palin (right)
U.P.I. Biden-Palin Debate Set Rating Record, October 4th, 2008
The Second ObamaMcCain Debate
More than 63 million Americans watched the second Presidential Debate on October 7th, 2008. Barack Obama and John McCain debated all topics through a town hall meeting debate in Nashville, TN.
History of Debates, 2008 at debates.org
Work Cited
Bigelow, N. S. (2005). The decision to debate. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved October 2, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://0-library.cqpress.com.wizard.umd.umich.edu:80/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005471. Document ID: g2camp-431-18693-1005471. Bigelow, N.S. (2005). The evolution of debates. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 30, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005469. Document ID: g2-camp-43118693-1005469. Bigelow, N.S. (2005)How the media cover debates. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 30, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-19693-1005485. Document ID: g2camp431-18693-1005485.
Bigelow, N.S. (2005).Debate Strategy. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005482. Document ID: g2camp-431-18693-1005482
Bigelow, N.S. (2005). The effects of debates. In P. S. Herrnson (Ed.), Guide to political campaigns in America. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved September 20, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://library.cqpress.com/elections/g2camp-431-18693-1005487 Document ID: g2camp-431-186931005487.
Work Cited
The political year, 1976. (1977). In Congress and the nation, 1973-1976 (Vol. 4) Washington: CQ Press. RetrievedOctober 15, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://0library.cqpress.com.wizard.umd.umich.edu:80/elections/catn73-0009169628 Document ID: catn73-0009169628. Presidential election process: General election campaign. (2005). In Guide to U.S. elections, 5th ed. (Vol. I). Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://0-library.cqpress.com.wizard.umd.umich.edu:80/elections/gus5e1-769-20464-1048567 Document ID: gus5e1-769-20464-1048567. The first Nixon-Kennedy debate. (1991). In M. Nelson (Ed.), Historic documents on presidential elections 17871988. Washington: CQ Press. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from CQ Electronic Library, CQ Voting and Elections Collection, http://0-library.cqpress.com.wizard.umd.umich.edu:80/elections/hdpres-149-7148-391005 Document ID: hdpres-149-7148-391005.