Why Debate

1
Why Debate?
By Kristen Nabozny, Tyler Holme and Jacob Meiers
2
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.

Abraham Lincoln
The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political
Campaigns in America.
3

• Lincoln and Douglas were debating over which
  candidate represented the legacy of the nations
  founders and the best solution for slavery.
• The debates were not Lincolns idea. They were
  forced upon the candidate by Illinoiss
  Republican State Committee.

Stephen Douglas
The Decision To Debate, Guide to Political
Campaigns in America.
4
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.
5

• 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.
6
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
7
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.
8
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).
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Modern Debates

• 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.

Bigelow, N. S. (2005) The Evolution of Debates in
P.S. Hernson, Guide to Political Campaigns in
America
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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 post-debate 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.
11
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-431-18
693-1005482. Document ID g2camp-431-18693-1005482
12

• 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-431-18
693-1005482. Document ID g2camp-431-18693-1005482
13
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.
14
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.
15
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
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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
17
The Second Obama-McCain 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
18
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-431-18
693-1005469. Document ID g2-camp-431-18693-10054
69. 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/g
2camp-431-19693-1005485. Document ID
g2camp-431-18693-1005485. 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/e
lections/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/e
lections/g2camp-431-18693-1005487 Document ID
g2camp-431-18693-1005487.
19
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//0-library.cqpress.com.wizard.um
d.umich.edu80/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.edu80/elections/gus5e1-769-2046
4-1048567 Document ID gus5e1-769-20464-1048567.
The first Nixon-Kennedy debate. (1991). In M.
Nelson (Ed.), Historic documents on presidential
elections 1787-1988. 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.