“The 360” shows diverse perspectives on the day’s main news and debates.
What is happening
For much of modern American history, debates have been seen as a more or less essential part of any major political campaign. However candidates might argue the details in advance or claim they were mistreated after the fact, it was assumed that at some point—or, often, more than once—they would find themselves in a formal confrontation in front of their colleagues. the voters.
But this tradition has over recent election cycles, to the point where it’s become a real question whether some of the most important elections in this year’s midterm elections will feature any debate at all. In state after state, candidates have argued over the timing, circumstances and number of debates.
O has been a central theme in Senate races in two of the most closely watched current races. In Pennsylvania, Republican Senate candidate Mehmet Oz has repeatedly accused his Democratic opponent, John Fetterman, in May of trying to avoid debates. A similar dynamic is playing out in Georgia, but with party affiliations reversed. Incumbent Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock called out GOP challenger Herschel Walker for “avoiding” several debate opportunities before the two campaigns reached agreement on a single date next month. Both It is eventually agreed to debate at least once.
The debate issue has come up in a number of other races across the country. In Missouri, the Republican candidate for Senate at a candidate forum last week. It is not yet clear whether there will be any debate in the race for . Republican candidate Doug Mastriano, who was at the Capitol during the Jan. 6 attack, refused to participate in a traditional debate with an independent moderator. One important race that will definitely not include a debate is for governor of Arizona. said he will not debate “conspiracy theorist” Kari Lake, a Republican who enthusiastically endorsed former President Trump’s lies about the 2020 presidential election.
Why is there controversy?
There are a number of theories about why candidates have become increasingly skeptical of debates, including the belief that the potential risks of gaffes far outweigh the rewards of a strong performance and the lack of perceived consequences for ignoring them. Some also point to the Republican Party’s general rejection of mainstream media outlets, which typically provide a platform for political debate.
There are also disagreements about whether this trend really matters. Debate advocates say the events provide a critical opportunity for voters to learn about candidates and their policy positions, outside of hypercalculated campaign ads and election speeches. They say the debates can serve as a proving ground for voters who may have doubts about aspiring politicians’ fitness for office. Many also fear that the decline in debates is a troubling symptom of a much broader shift in which lawmakers increasingly feel unaccountable to the people they represent.
But others argue that it doesn’t really matter whether candidates debate in person. They point to a significant body of research that suggests debate performance has little or no effect on outcomes, even in close races. Some also argue that debating skill in no way represents one’s performance in public office.
What is the next
Debates have been scheduled in many of the high-profile Senate races across the country, all of which are scheduled for October. It remains to be seen whether these events will actually happen and whether they will play any role in deciding which party will control Congress over the next two years.
Perspectives
Healthy debates make a healthy democracy
“The value of debate in a democracy should not be underestimated. It’s a proven part of the process that helps voters become informed and make decisions about who is best to represent them in government. Voters deserve to know where candidates stand on certain issues, and candidate debates and forums are one of the best tools we have.” — Geoff Foster, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, for
Debates are not as enlightening for voters as many seem to think
“There’s not a lot of evidence that we learn much from debates in terms of political content, because the people who tend to watch debates are those who know a lot about the candidate and are tuned in to see your candidate win in the same way that you watch. to a sports game.” —Megan Goldberg, political scientist, for
Voters deserve the chance to see candidates for who they really are
“The criticism of debates is that no one cares about them except the press. Which are purely platforms for media outlets and members of the media. But they are more than that. They can show a candidate’s behavior and temperament. How a candidate responds when challenged. They give voters the opportunity to hear the candidates’ opinions. In your own words. In real time. Not through handlers. Not with interruptions from the press or experts.” -John Baer,
Good debaters are not necessarily good leaders
“There is a campaign and there is a government. Two different things. … Campaign choices make a big difference and the public cannot be expected to follow issues as closely as political professionals. And yet…in the end, it’s governing that really matters.” -Nelson Morgan,
Most debates are not important, but they can occasionally be decisive in close disputes
“General election debates are generally dry affairs, for which the competing camps have spent weeks preparing each candidate on how to avoid falling into political traps and rehearsing some criticisms that they hope the media will focus on their post-mortem stories. . But in closely contested races, small mistakes can be decisive, or at least take a campaign in the wrong direction for a few days.” -Paul Kane,
With no real punishment for ignoring them, many candidates will consider the debates unnecessary
“I like debates. I think candidates should do them and they risk bad publicity by not doing them. But from a campaign perspective: 1. Debate prep takes a LOT of time 2. In an event with your opponent that rarely moves the needle 3. unless you screw up. So…if it’s possible to ignore the debate and the bad press doesn’t matter because voters don’t really care, then campaigns have every reason to ignore them and devote more time to their own campaign activities.” – political analyst
Debating Debates Allows Candidates to Distract From Issues That Really Matter
“The debates themselves are turning into major campaign issues. It’s tedious and doesn’t serve voters.” – Essay,
The decline in debates is a sign of how partisanship has fragmented the country
“I don’t know how much use they have… on the other hand, I think it’s just a sad symptom of where we are in terms of polarization and candidate disposition… even just being in the same space with each other and talking about the same problems. Seems a little depressing to me. -Amélia Thomson-Deveaux,
Debates can play an important role in helping restore civility to U.S. politics
“I am hopeful that we can return to the ideal of debate, which allows citizens to be informed about the issues they need to face. We are in a serious crisis of democracy and we need to be able to figure out how to disagree without turning to the language of civil war.” —Tom Hollihan, political communication researcher, for
Is there a topic you would like to see covered on “The 360”? Send your suggestions to the360@yahoonews.com.
Photographic illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Getty Images
