Each
presidential cycle
there tends to emerge, instead of a systematic series of primary
debates,
a hodgepodge of proposals put forth by various news organizations and
other
entities from which individual candidates pick and choose. The
2000
cycle was no different. For example, in an October 19, 1999
release,
Gore campaign press secretary Kiki Moore noted that the two
Democratic
campaigns had been offered "more than 40 debate and forum
opportunities,
many beginning immediately."
Gore and Bradley
did not
engage in forty debates and forums, but citizens interested in viewing
the Republican or Democratic candidates in face to face encounters had
plenty of opportunities. All told the candidates participated in
22 televised debates/head-to-head forums (13 Republican and 9
Democratic
events) stretching from Oct. 22, 1999 to March 2, 2000.
Major Candidate Forums
Republicans
New
Hampshire
Oct. 22, 1999
|
The
New Hampshire Primary Debate Partnership--NHPTV, NECN and the Union
Leader. |
"Republican
Presidential Forum" at NHPTV in Durham, NH Oct. 22, 1999. |
New
Hampshire
Oct. 28, 1999
|
WMUR-TV
and CNN. |
"First
in the Nation: A New Hampshire Town Meeting" (Republicans) at Dartmouth
College in Hanover, NH Oct. 28, 1999. |
Arizona
Nov. 21, 1999
|
Arizona
Republican Party and the Associated Students of ASU. |
Republican
debate at ASU in Tempe, AZ Nov. 21, 1999. |
New
Hampshire
Dec. 2, 1999
|
WMUR-TV
and FOX News Channel. |
"The
Republicans: A New Hampshire Forum" at WMUR-TV in Manchester,
NH
Dec. 2, 1999. |
Arizona
Dec. 6, 1999
|
Arizona
Republican Party and CNN. |
"CNN
Election 2000 Special: The Arizona Republican Primary Debate" at the
Orpheum
Theatre in Phoenix, AZ Dec. 6, 1999. |
Iowa
Dec. 13, 1999
|
WHO-TV. |
"The
Iowa Debate" at the Civic Center in Des Moines, IA Dec. 13,
1999. |
New
Hampshire
Jan. 6, 2000
|
The
New Hampshire Primary Debate Partnership--NHPTV, NECN and the Union
Leader. |
"NH
Republican Primary Debate" at UNH in Durham, NH Jan.
6, 2000. |
South
Carolina
Jan. 7, 2000
|
South
Carolina Republican
Party (broadcast by WIS-TV and MSNBC). |
Republican
debate. |
Michigan
Jan. 10, 2000
|
Michigan
Republican Party,
Calvin College, WOOD TV-8 (NBC) and Kent County Republican Committee. |
Republican
debate at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. |
Iowa
Jan.
15, 2000
|
Des
Moines Register. |
"Des
Moines Register Presidential Candidates Debate" (Republicans) at IPTV
in
Johnston, IA. |
New
Hampshire
Jan. 26, 2000
|
WMUR-TV
and CNN. |
"First
in the Nation: The New Hampshire Debates"--Republicans at WMUR-TV in
Manchester,
NH. |
South
Carolina
Feb. 15, 2000
|
South
Carolina Business and Industry Political Education Committee (BIPEC)
and CNN. |
Republican
presidential debate at Seawells in Columbia, SC. |
California
March 2, 2000
|
Los
Angeles Times and CNN. |
"Los
Angeles Times/CNN Presidential Debates"--Republicans at the L.A. Times
building in Los Angeles, CA. |
|
Democrats
New
Hampshire
Oct. 27, 1999
|
WMUR-TV
and CNN. |
"First
in the Nation: A New Hampshire Town Meeting" (Democrats) at Dartmouth
College
in Hanover, NH. |
New
Hampshire
Dec. 17, 1999
|
ABC
"Nightline." |
Democratic
town hall meeting at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH. |
Washington,DC
Dec. 19, 1999
|
NBC
"Meet the Press." |
Democratic
debate at NBC in Washington, DC. |
New
Hampshire
Jan. 5, 2000
|
The
New Hampshire Primary Debate Partnership--NHPTV, NECN and the Union
Leader. |
"NH
Democratic Primary Debate" at UNH in Durham, NH. |
Iowa
Jan.
8, 2000
|
Des
Moines Register. |
"Des
Moines Register Presidential Candidates Debate" (Democrats) at IPTV in
Johnston, IA. |
Iowa
Jan.
17, 2000
|
The
Brown & Black Forum (group chaired by State Rep. Wayne Ford and Ila
Plasencia). |
"Iowa
Brown & Black Presidential Forum" in Des Moines, IA. |
New
Hampshire
Jan. 26, 2000
|
WMUR-TV
and CNN. |
"First
in the Nation: The New Hampshire Debates"--Democrats at WMUR-TV in
Manchester,
NH. |
New
York
Feb. 21, 2000
|
Time and
CNN. |
Democratic
debate at Apollo Theater in Harlem, NY. |
California
March 1, 2000
|
Los
Angeles Times and CNN. |
"Los
Angeles Times/CNN Presidential Debates"--Democrats at the L.A. Times
building
in Los Angeles, CA. |
Debates and
forums rarely
prove decisive, but they do offer voters a good chance to compare the
candidates.
Because many of the primary forums and debates are televised
nationally,
particularly by CNN and C-SPAN, they have the potential of reaching a
fairly
wide audience. However, viewership tends to be small.
Tactical Back and Forth
Primary debates
offer many
opportunities for tactical back and forth among the candidates.
Announcing
his campaign shake-up in late September of 1999 Vice President Al Gore
challenged opponent Bill Bradley "to a series of debates on specific
issues--a
lot of them." Gore said such debates would "breath new life into
our democracy." Bradley declined to take Gore up on his
offer.
On the Republican side, back on June 14, Steve Forbes sent a letter to
the GOP frontrunner Texas Gov. George W. Bush proposing a series of
five
debates. Forbes did not receive a response. When Sen. John
McCain emerged as a serious challenger in February, he sought
one-on-one
debates with Bush. Bush did not agree to McCain's offer.
A strong
frontrunner may
choose to duck all but a few forums. If a frontrunner chooses to
skip a debate there may then be a cascade effect, as other leading
challengers
forego the event, leaving second tier candidates to debate amongst
themselves.1
To his credit, after initially refusing to participate in some forums,
Bush did end up participating in many debates. He may end up as a
better candidate for the experience, for the fall debates will require
a solid performance. Thus there are instances where some
candidates
decline or are unable to participate in a debate; there are also
usually
some lesser known candidates who want to participate but are not
invited.
These longshot candidates may raise a hue and cry, but to no avail.
Substantive Exchanges or
Packaged Events
Organizing a debate
to facilitate
substantive exchanges between the candidates can be a challenge.
In the first part of 1999 it looked as if there could be ten or so GOP
candidates; the fact that the Republican field thinned with the
departures
of Rep. John Kasich, Sen. Bob Smith, former governor Lamar Alexander,
former
Vice President Dan Quayle, Elizabeth Dole and Pat Buchanan made the job
easier for debate planners even as it deprived voters of those
viewpoints.
How informative a
debate
or forum is depends on which candidates are invited, which candidates
choose
to attend, and very importantly, the format. In a May 1999 letter
>
former Speaker Newt Gingrich put a proposal on the table,
suggesting
that Republican hopefuls engage in forums "based on the Lincoln-Douglas
debates in which serious people make thoughtful remarks about important
topics." The idea of having a debates focused on a specific
subject
areas is also worthwhile as it allows candidates to get deeper into
specific
issues. Gore and Bradley did discuss issues of concern to
minorities
at the Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum" held in Des Moines
on
Jan. 17, 2000, but several other proposals for more focused debates
fell
through.2
Whether the
standard of the
Lincoln-Douglas debates can be achieved in the television era is
uncertain,
but organizers can learn from many past debates. One
network-sponsored
debate in 1992 resembled a game show, with the candidates in corrals
and
the anchor acting as host. Other debates or forums have been
badly
chopped up with advertising breaks. Another problem can be
inadequate
time for candidate responses.
Notes
1. For example, WNDS
and
New Hampshire Citizens for a Sound Economy held a "New Hampshire Voter
Town Meeting" at WNDS in Derry on Oct. 21, 1999 which only drew Bauer
and Keyes. >
2. For example,
(a) the
Iowa
Farmers Union, >
and the
Center
for Rural Affairs proposed a Democratic debate on family farm and
rural
community issues at Iowa State University in Ames for Dec. 22, 1999. [only
Gore participated]; (b)The
Gazette (Cedar Rapids), Iowa Farmer Today, KCRG, League
of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Izaak Walton League of America
proposed
ACE Debates (Agriculture, Conservation, Energy/Environment) with the
Republicans
to be held on Jan. 10, 2000 and the Democrats on Jan. 12, 2000. [Gore].
|