Memo to Democrats: Here's How to Add a Real Debate

The problem with these events isn39t the news media39s usual quothorseracequot reporting or the pundits who overthink the backandforthamp160 Both are par for the courseamp160 Nor is it the moderators39 fault the journalists in Miami mostly did their bestamp160 Rather the late Neil Postman39s quotAmusing Ourselves to Deathquot a brilliant analysis of television39s influence diagnosed what ails the contests 35 years agoamp160 quotTelevisionquot Postman wrote quotspeaks in only one persistent voice the voice of entertainmentquotamp160 The Democrats could help voters serious about judging the candidates39 presidential qualifications by taking a modest suggestion add some real debatesPostman who didn39t live to see the ascent of the Web and social media didn39t leave behind his critique of the presidential debates of his dayamp160 Even so it39s not hard to infer what he likely thoughtamp160 quotSerious televisionquot he wrote in 1985 is quota contradiction in termsquotamp160 In Miami the Democrats couldn39t have done a better job of making his pointamp160 At an event where people are supposed to contend over issues ideas and values the criteria for the debaters39 success on stage were obvious with camerawise poses and tweetable declamations Instagram not intelligent commentary ruledTo be fairamp160to the candidates and the party39s debate organizers the numbers are a challenge setting up a fight not to mention competing in one is tough when a dozen contenders are in the ringamp160 But format isn39t the biggest or even most important issueamp160 In a media world where politicians have dropped reasoned rhetoric for Snapchat smiles and 280character quips the opportunity to assess how the candidates present and defend their policy positions is all but nonexistentamp160 For voters interested in watching debates that showcase such skills the question is obvious Why botherPolitical pros and campaign consultants of course would dismiss the complainingamp160 After all when candidates hit their marks on camera viewers can become their votersamp160 Miami39s two nights drew an audience of 28 millionamp160 Soliloquies on the issues or not people are paying attentionamp160 If the onstage cast can impress with slogans and selfconfidence rather than defend what they want to do and why who cares if their socalled debate looks like a Looney Tunes version of the Oxford Unionamp160 Ask the Republicans facing a reality TV star who didn39t know a thing their 2016 primary casualties testify to the folly of talking substance rather than trashThe pros have a pointamp160 With second jobs and soccer games most people don39t have time to dig into how to reform health care or make nuclear arms dealsamp160 Candidates at best have a few minutes to impress voters whose decisions for better or worse turn on perceptions rather than policy viewsamp160amp160Paul Aldo a psychologist who has researched and written extensively on executive presence notes that leaders stand out among other reasons because of the effects of their bearing confidence clarityamp160and vision on those around themamp160 His insight applies in spades on TV where to influence viewers a candidate39s image needs to present those qualities in bold faceNonetheless the current televised debates still beg a big questionamp160 In helping voters make their choices is this the best we can doamp160 When it comes to TV exploring more seriously presidential qualifications Postman wouldn39t have been optimisticamp160 Television politics doesn39t permit us quotto know who is best at being Presidentquot he wroteamp160 quotThe politician does not so much offer the audience an image of himself as offer himself as an image of the audiencequotamp160 From one candidate39s story of grade school busing to another39s spontaneous Spanish soliloquy Miami39s performances last month would have amused Postman to deathCould the current debates improveamp160 Winnowing the field might help but even a smaller roster is unlikely to change the current debate format muchamp160 For one thing among the 20 or so contenders only a few such as Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are campaigning on detailed policy proposalsamp160 History also suggests American politicians have never liked going headtohead on the issuesamp160amp160Debates didn39t figure prominently in presidential elections until the Republican primary in 1948 when Tom Dewey took on Harold Stassenamp160 The 1960 KennedyNixon debates were the last until 1976 when they finally became a fixture in presidential campaignsIn the final analysis with the current substancefree Democratic debates falling short helping Americans understand whether the candidates are prepared to be president is importantamp160amp160Intelligence Squared Debates a nationally broadcast nonpartisan debate series on the major issues provides an example of how that could be doneamp160 One possibility based on its approach a randomly seeded roster of candidates who compete in oneonone debates on leading domestic and foreign policy topicsamp160 The hourlong programs produced as podcasts could be offered for broadcast as well as streamedFor the candidates the added forum offers the opportunity for earned media exposure as well as raw material for their advertising campaignsamp160 For voters it would be a chance to see the contenders present and defend how they would handle the country39s challengesamp160 The media industry has the resources and outlets to support a second tier of debatesamp160 It39s not hard to imagine Neil Postman saying quotNever happenquotamp160 For once it would be nice to prove him wrongClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Memo to Democrats: Here's How to Add a Real Debate

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Kent M. Harrington

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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Kent M. Harrington

Jon Miller | Cofounder Marketo, Engagio | The Gumball Machine is Broken - Rethinking B2B Marketing - By Mike Linton

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