Presidential debates Flashcards
What was significant about the 1992 Presidential debate?
It was the first time a third party was allowed to participate
(Ross Perot)
also used the Town Hall debate style for the first time
What impact did the Carter v Reagan debate have on the 1980 campaign?
Reagan ended really well asking questions about the changes in voters lives from four years ago, this contributed to his big win over President Carter (Carter only got 49 ECVs). Reagan successfully framed the debate and managed to shape the way voters minds thought as they voted
What did Reagan say in the 1984 debate that helped him win?
Reagan was aced about his age and quipped back that age wasn’t an issue and that he would not exploit his opponent’s (Mondale’s) youth and inexperience for political purposes.
Reagan was helped to victory by this. Mondale only won his own state
Why was the first Romney Obama debate so significant?
Romney was seen to have won and rose massively in the polls. Obama seemed disengaged and bored and did not challenge many of Romney’s remarks
a gallup poll saw Romney get a 52 percentage point margin on the President, the biggest in TV debate history
Explain presidential debates?
Debates that occur between the two major party Presidential candidates between September and October of the election year. There are usually three 90 minute debates between the Presidential candidates and one 90 minute debate between the Vice Presidential candidates.
What happened in the 1960 Debate?
JFK v Nixon
JFK perceived as winner by those watching on TV
Nixon perceived as winner by those listening by radio
JFK wins the debate by a whisker
meant these debates were style over substance and they were not held again for 16 years
What debate style was introduced in 2000?
The roundtable
What forms did the debates take in 2012
a town hall, a podium, a roundtable
Biden Ryan debate was roundtable
What debate did Carter refuse to take part in, in 1980?
Carter refuse to be a part of a debate with a third party candidate (John Anderson). He only attended the one with only himself and Reagan
Are debates generally significant?
no most of them aren’t at all.
What are the four debate rules of thumb?
- style is often more important than substance
- Verbal gaffes can be costly
- Good sound bites can be helpful
- Debates are often more difficult for incumbents than challengers
Give some examples of when style has been more important than substance
In a Bush v Clinton debate 1992, Bush was caught looking at his watch and this was perceived as him being uncomfortable
In a Gore v Bush debate in 2000, Gore kept interrupting Bush and rolling his eyes. After this Gore was ridiculed on SNL as a smarty pants
Obama v Romney 2012, Obama was criticised for his passive style
In these cases it was less about what was said as what was done that lost the debates
Give some examples of Verbal gaffes in debates
In 1976 President Ford mistakenly claimed that Poland was not under the control of the Soviet Union, this was an expensive error as Ford only went on to win 47 ECVs
In 2000 Gore was caught out after making some exaggerated claims to which the Bush campaign immediately drew attention after the debate
Why are good soundbites helpful, give some examples of good ones
Most people do not watch the full debate but watch highlights in the form of soundbites of the news afterwards, this means they are important
In 1996 Clinton was debating Bob Dole and was aced if he thought Dole was too old to run (he was 73) Clinton said ‘I don’t think Senator Dole is too old to be President it’s the age of his ideas that I question.’
In 2008 Obama kept trying to like McCain to GWB and McCain retorted ‘Senator, I am not President Bush. If you wanted to run against President Bush you should have run four years age.’
In 2012 Obama accused Romney of favouring ‘the foreign policy of the 1980’s, the social policy of the 1950’s and the economic policy of the 1920’s.’
Why are debates often more difficult for incumbents?
Incumbents have a record to defend and words spoken four years earlier that can be thrown back at them this time around
Incumbents tend to go into debates as the perceived front runner so expectations of them are higher. (Seen in the Obama Romney debate 2012)
The debate format is a great leveller, the President goes in as essentially an ordinary politician. Presidents debate skills are also often rusty. Romney took part in 19 TV debates between June 2011 and February 2012. Obama had not debated on TV for four years
