Presidential Debates
Lincoln-Douglas
Modern presidential debates find their origins in the debates between Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. In 1858, Lincoln and Douglas traveled throughout Illinois and spoke on the controversial matter of whether slavery could be permitted to expand into western territories. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates were lengthy affairs, providing ample time for both candidates to present their cases, rebuttals, and closing arguments. The two orators met before large crowds, and transcripts of their discussions included the vocal reactions of the audience. Accounts of the debates were widely republished in newspapers. While formal debates between politicians did not become popular before the twentiethcentury in the United States, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates did set the tone and precedent for future encounters between aspiring presidents.
Kennedy, Nixon, and the Television Era
In 1960, JohnF. Kennedy met Richard Nixon for thefirst televised presidential debate. Standing at podiums before a panel of television network moderators, Kennedy and Nixon sparred over such topics as foreign policy and domestic tax policy. Though not as long as the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, the first Kennedy-Nixon debate lasted one hour and provided candidates ample time to make their statements.
No further nationally televised debates were held until the 1976 election pitting Gerald R. Ford against Jimmy Carter. Since 1976, there have been one or more presidential debates in every election cycle, usually accompanied by at least one vice presidential debate and several primary debates featuring many aspiring party nominees. Watch the Kennedy-Nixon debate here!
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/engage/think-the-vote/presidential-debates/kennedy-nixon-debate/
DebatesIn History
Debate formats are varied and are determined through a process of negotiation between the campaigns. Candidates must agree to the overall length of the debate, the amount of time allotted per statement, whether they will receive questions from their opponent or audience members, and whether they will be seated, stand at podiums, or if they will be free to walk about the stage. Some candidates prefer a “roundtable” feel in which they are jointly seated with their opponent and moderator, while others prefer receiving questions from a panel of moderators. Debates are often held at universities, particularly in states that have historically determined the outcomes of elections by virtue of the unpredictable allocation of their electoral votes.
During the primary season, there can be many candidates vying for the same nomination. In these scenarios, the parties organize candidate forums—not debates—in which the public may listen to a wide selection of leading candidates over the course of the evening. In almost all cases, in recent years candidates have usually been allotted only a few minutes per statement or rebuttal, forcing them to condense important ideas and concepts into brief comments. Unlike the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, and even the Kennedy-Nixon debates, candidates have precious little time to lay out a fully fleshed vision for the United States.
The debates in the 1970s and 1980s were organized by the League of Women Voters (LWV). Over time, however, the LWV became troubled by the campaigns’ insistence that they dictate many of the terms of the debate process. In 1988, the LWV withdrew from hosting debates entirely. In response, the two dominant parties formed the Commission on Presidential Debates, which still operates today. This non-profit corporation forms the conduit by which the Democrat and Republican parties agree to terms and organize debates.
Because the Commission was founded and is maintained by the two largest parties, it is unlikely to offer opportunities for third-party candidates to participate in national debates. Historically the Commission has imposed a high bar of entrance for third-party candidates. In 2000, it declared that candidates must have the polling support of fifteen percent of voters and has maintained similar standards in subsequent elections. Many people contend that this presents a difficult obstacle for candidates outside the traditional two party sphere to overcome. These candidates poll lower because they are, in part, less well-known than the Democrat and Republican candidates, but they cannot increase their visibility before the public if they are denied access to such important venues as nationally televised presidential debates. As a result, many third-party contenders have organized their own debates featuring other third-party candidates, though the visibility of these debates remains low.
http://www.billofrightsinstitute.org/engage/think-the-vote/presidential-debates/