Debate Watching 101
Introduction
Candidate debates have a long history in American politics. At every
level of government—from city council to state legislature, from
Congress to President of the United States—candidates participate
in debates to help voters understand who and what they stand
for.
Watching debates is an important way for voters to learn more about
the candidates and the issues before the election, so that they can cast
an informed vote. At the same time, voters need to view debates with a
careful eye to get the most information. Candidates rehearse thoroughly
for debates, making it hard to get candid, spontaneous answers. Debates
can emphasize form over substance, such as the candidates’
appearance instead of their stands on the issues. You may watch a
debate and still not get answers to the questions you have about the
candidates and issues.
You can get the most out of a debate by thinking about the issues
and candidates in advance, by viewing the debate with care, and by
continu-ing to research the issues and the candidates after the debate.
Debate Watching 101 provides background information and tips to help
you get the most out of watching a candidate debate.
What Is a Debate?
A debate is an event at which candidates who are running for an
elected office meet face-to-face to answer questions that are asked of
them. This gives the candidates a chance to state their views and to
respond to their opponents’ statements. It gives viewers a chance
to directly compare the candidates and their
positions.
Debates usually take place in front of a live audience and may also
be televised or broadcast on the radio or the Internet. A televised or
broadcast debate allows many more people to watch and learn about the
candidates and issues.
Debates can follow different formats, or a combination of formats.
The most common formats are:
- Single moderator: one moderator asks the
questions;
- Panel: a panel of journalists or experts
questions the candidates;
- Town hall: questions are submitted by members of
the audience or randomly selected voters, in person or by phone or
email. The Town Hall format allows for questions to be submitted in
advance or during the debate.
The debate usually begins with an introduction of the candidates,
who may also be given time to make opening statements. The heart of the
debate takes place when the candidates are asked questions and they
respond. There usually is a time limit for responses. The questioner may
ask follow-up questions to get the candidates to explain or clarify
their responses. Some debates give candidates an opportunity to
“cross-examine” or ask questions directly of each other. At
the end of the debate, the candidates are usually given time to make
closing statements.
Before the Debate
Thinking about and preparing for the debate before it takes place
will enable you to get the most from watching it. It will familiarize
you with the candidates and issues. The preparation will help you focus
on what to look for in the debate so that you will get the information
you need in deciding who to vote for.
It will help if you take some time before the debate to:
- Follow the campaign to learn about the candidates and their
backgrounds;
- Find out what the important campaign issues are;
- Decide what issues are most important to you;
- Think about the questions you may have and the information
you want to get from the debate to help you in your decision
making;
- Open your mind to new opinions/impressions of the candidate
regardless of party affiliation.
You may want to make plans to get together with friends or family to
watch the debate. Watching the debate in a group and discussing it
afterwards helps to clarify your thoughts about what was said in the
debate and how the candidates performed.
A debate might not include all of the candidates for the office.
Before the debate, note which candidates are included and which are
not. If all candidates are not participating, try to find out why. Some
debates include only candidates who have significant support, on the
theory that the voters should be able to compare the candidates with a
realistic chance of winning. Others invite all candidates who have
qualified for the ballot. Sometimes candidates who are invited choose
not to participate. Candidates with a strong lead might refuse to
participate because they think there is no advantage to be gained by
debating a lesser known opponent.
During the Debate
When watching the debate, ask yourself questions like these to help
you judge the fairness of the debate and the performance of the
candidates.
The debate format and questions:
- Does the format give each candidate an equal opportunity to
speak and respond to questions?
- Are the questions clear, fair and equally tough on all
candidates?
- Do the questions cover the issues that are important to
you?
- Is the moderator in control of the debate? Does the
moderator need to say less and let the candidates say more?
The candidates:
- Do they answer questions directly, or do they evade them or
fail to answer the specific question?
- Do they give specifics about their stands on the issues, or
do they speak in generalities? Do they support their positions and
arguments with facts and figures?
- Do they talk about their own policies and positions, or do
they mostly attack their opponents?
- Are their proposals realistic? Can they actually carry out
the promises they are making?
- Do they appear sincere, confident and relaxed?
- Do they show how their backgrounds and experience qualify
them to hold the office?
- Are their answers consistent with their previous positions,
and if not, do they explain why?
- What image are they trying to create?
- Do their responses appear overly rehearsed or
“canned”?
Media coverage:
- If you are watching the debate on television, are reaction
shots or other techniques used to create a sense of drama or
conflict?
- Are you being influenced by comments made by reporters and
commentators immediately before and after the debate?
After the Debate
It will help clarify your thoughts about the candidates and the
issues if you take some time after the debate to reflect on what you
have just seen and heard. You can do this by:
- Comparing your impressions with others who watched the
debate;
- Asking yourself, based on the information you got from watching
the debate, which candidate appears most qualified for the office;
- Identifying the issues on which you agree with a candidate and
those on which you disagree, and deciding whether that makes you more or
less likely to vote for a particular candidate;
- Asking yourself if you learned something new about the issues or
the candidate;
- Thinking about whether you have more questions about the issues or
the candidates that you want to follow up;
- Getting more information about the candidates’ positions
from news reports, candidate Web sites and nonpartisan voter
information Web sites such as VOTE411.org.
- Watch later debates for more information or to confirm your
current impressions of the candidates
Conclusion
Candidate debates give voters a chance to hear the candidates speak
and respond to their opponents. They give candidates a chance to
present their message directly to a wide audience. As a voter, asking
yourself the right questions before, during and after the debate can
help you make the most of this opportunity to learn about the
candidates and the issues.
© League of Women Voters Education Fund 2008
Other Resources:
LWVUS
Presidential Debate Archive
VOTE411.org
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