Bush-Kerry Debates

[angus]

Nym90,  good stats.  I had forgotton about this site.



September 23, 1976
Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library (and you thought 2000 was rough?)

Debate History: 1976 Debates
There were three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate during the 1976 general election.

Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), Vice President
General Election Presidential Debates

Date: September 23, 1976
Location: Walnut Street Theater
City: Philadelphia, PA
Time: 9:30 - 11:00 p.m. Eastern
Sponsor: League of Women Voters
Moderator: Edwin Newman, Baltimore Sun
Panelists: Frank Reynolds, ABC; James Gannon, Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Drew, New Yorker Magazine
Viewership: 69.7 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)
Format: No opening statements; each questioned in turn with three minutes to answer; one optional follow-up question with two minutes to reply; two minute rebuttal; three minute closing statements.
Topic: Domestic policy

(see also October 6, 1976, October 22, 1976, October 15, 1976)

This is cool.  Thanks.

[angus]

I welcome a Bush/Kerry debate.  I think most Americans will.  Democrats, Republicans, Declined-to-State, and others alike.  But Bush won't have it as easy as last time, I'm afraid.  The Gore people had foolishly denigrated Gov. Bush in the months leading up to the election, and all he had to do was pretty much show up and not trip in order to win.  Ann Richards made the same mistake in 1994, to her disadvantage.  I suspect Kerry's inside people are just a bit wiser than Gov. Richards and V. P. Gore, but who knows, the red-state people on this forum paradoxically take delight in lowering that bar for Bush.  But set your uninformed tackiness aside for the moment:  The expectations game will be tougher for the incumbent.  And it will give the President the opportunity to lay out his vision for the next four years (which he has not yet done!)  It will be an opportunity for Kerry to explain his contradictions and missteps (which he has not yet done!)  Free and open discussion are vital to the maintenance of our democratic republic.  (or, our republican democracy, if you prefer).  

On a slightly more interesting but unrelated note, who will win?   Find out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63776-2004Mar16.html

[angus]

What does everyone think of John Kerry's challenging Bush to monthly debates?  Should Bush accept the challenge?  Would you watch them?

Its silly, and Bush will not accept it.  I would probably not watch them - too painful to see important issues like who will be president decided by something as fleeting and unrepresentative as a debate.

Not silly, but time-consuming.  And a bad idea.  But an occassional debate is good for the system.  People like to think they have a choice.  It is like this in all systems, but among our culture in particular.  It's why game-shows are so popular here.