Why (and How) Do Presidential Candidates Debate

Why (and How) Do Presidential Candidates Debate?


A History of Presidential Debates
By Kathy Gill, About.com

Filed In:
Elections
The televised "debate" is a modern political campaign tool. Presidential "debates" are misnamed: each candidate "answers" a question in a soundbite. Learn about the first presidential debate, who manages the events and their importance in the campaign cycle. America is a large nation, geographically dispersed. Thus, presidential candidates use mass media to reach voters because it is no longer possible to meet everyone who might vote (if it ever was). One way candidates do this is through television advertising. Another method of the modern era is the "televised debate." These "debates" are misnamed: each candidate "answers" a question in a soundbite. This is not "debating" an issue, as any high school debate team member can attest. It is a made-for-TV battle of spin, and the candidate wins who has the best marketing people on staff (who develop memorable "bites" on each issue). See the Schedule of 2008 Presidential Debates


History of Televised Debates

The first televised presidential debate was the Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960. That series of four debates irrevocably changed the nature of electioneering and cemented television as a key mass media tool. The next televised debates occurred in 1976 and were sponsored by the League of Women Voters. For three election cycles, the League managed the giant egos that are presidential candidates, but by 1988 they had abandoned the debates to the parties. The two major parties established the "non-partisan" Commission on Presidential Debates, according to the Boston Globe: "[T]hen-Republican Party chair Frank Fahrenkopf and then-Democratic Party chair Paul Kirk incorporated the commission, and they have co-chaired the organization ever since." As a consequence, third party candidates are, as a general statement, denied a forum. The exception was Ross Perot in 1992; he was polling well and pulled 19% of the final vote -- the best third party showing in modern American presidential politics.