In a political world crowded with talk radio, television advertisements and sound bites, a high-quality political debate can be a breath of fresh air. It is a discussion that allows citizens to see and hear the candidates side by side and, hopefully, arrive at common understandings of and mutually agreeable solutions to political problems. Such debates are a cornerstone of the democratic deliberative process, which has become the ‘gold standard’ for modern democracies.
For example, the Commission holds general election presidential debates in every cycle, providing a rare opportunity for citizens to sharpen their views of the major candidates and discuss their policy proposals. In this context, the Commission selects moderators and debate formats that focus maximum time and attention on the candidates’ views. It also sets criteria for moderator selection, requiring them to have extensive experience in live television broadcast news and an understanding that a debate should not be an ‘attack on the candidate or his or her campaign’.
The debates are hosted in cities and towns across the United States. Sites interested in hosting the debate submit bids in response to formal guidelines that are posted several years prior to each election. The CPD production staff reviews these proposals and interviews prospective sites to ensure that they can meet the demands of producing high-quality debates.
The scholarly literature suggests that to be effective, political arguments need to be framed in ways that connect them with people’s moral values. However, it can be challenging to craft messages that reach across the ideological divide on hot-button issues like same-sex marriage and national health insurance.
