The recent presidential debates have moved further into the realm of entertainment extravaganzas with the participation of Donald Trump, who has become best known as a reality TV host.
But long before he appeared on the scene, the Annenberg Task Force on Presidential Debate Reform wrote in a 2015 report that modern presidential debates are characterized by “a shift away from the main purpose of the event, discussion of the main topics.” “This contributes to a scene that distracts people from the public,” it concluded. There is a dispute among the candidates present. ”
President Joe Biden's decision to bypass the Commission on Presidential Debates and agree to debates hosted directly by the media themselves is likely to eliminate the carnival-like atmosphere that has characterized debates in recent years. The opportunity has arrived.
The two debates that the candidates have already agreed to, to be hosted by CNN in June and by ABC in September, will be held in studio without an audience, making them the most committee-sponsored debates to date. Two major problems are resolved. Thanks to expanded early voting, many Americans had already cast their votes before the first debate of 2020. And, as the Annenberg Working Group pointed out, “viewer reactions can and do influence impressions of those watching at home. Laughter, cheers, and jeers can also be felt in the moment. and distracts from the essence of what the candidate is saying.”
A wide-ranging public forum earlier this year will improve the democratic system and help it better adapt to the country's new system of early voting and widespread social media.
Ending “disorganized performance” and curbing online trolls
Much of the criticism surrounding the decision to forgo commissions has focused on the live audience size for each debate — a meaningless metric given that the debates are widely covered by traditional media and, more importantly, shared on social media, where an increasing number of voters get their news. Moreover, what good is a huge audience if all they see is a chaotic performance orchestrated to elicit a reaction from a roomful of people?
As Politico's West Wing Playbook noted, President Trump's 2023 town hall, broadcast on CNN, had his supporters filling the room and felt “similar to a professional wrestling match.” Ta.
The debates are an opportunity to speak directly to the American people and be held accountable by honest moderators, as well as a safeguard against rampant disinformation. The Russian trolls who disrupted the 2016 and 2020 elections are back with new technology and new methods. Videos manipulated by artificial intelligence, or AI, falsely claiming to be the work of legitimate journalists, are the new medium of choice for these disruptors. Debate provides an opportunity for candidates and moderators to challenge and correct false claims.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Presidential Debates may be having a “last gasp”, Rice University historian Doug Brinkley told The Hill. “This is supposed to be their job, and if they can't deliver, it means they're on the verge of extinction.”
Mark H. Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League. He served as mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002. Twice a month column For the Sun-Times.
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