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Debating Our Destiny lesson suggestions: Debates:
Useful or Pointless
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Watching past debates brings home the point that everything old is new again. Using the debates and interviews from each year, students can explore how old issues keep popping up again.
How do candidates position themselves against or with the party in office? How does a vice president define himself when he runs for the top job? In the first Ford/Carter debate, and again in the third debate, Ford distances himself from disgraced President Nixon. How is this similar to the way Gore has distanced himself from President Clinton? In Gore's Democratic convention acceptance speech, he links himself to the economic prosperity of the past eight years, but vows to write a "new chapter." Note that Nixon faced the same challenge in 1960, as did George Bush in 1988, but with a much more popular predecessor, Ronald Reagan. Discuss public perceptions of the vice president. What are the issues they must deal with when they run for president?
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In 1980, Independent candidate John Anderson debated Republican challenger Ronald Reagan, but was not allowed to participate in the Reagan/Carter debate. He focused on the economy and energy issues, which were plaguing the Carter administration. John Anderson says that "If we are going to have a healthy truly competitive political environment, (we must) invite independents and third parties to compete, they have got to be included in debates." Do you agree? In 1992, the presence of Ross Perot had a profound affect on the presidential debates. President Clinton recalls, "I was a little surprised to see the polls showed that most people thought Perot had done better than I did. I think the polls showed that, you know, by a slight plurality they thought he had done better than I had and then President Bush." Should the Gore/Bush debates include Ralph Nader of the Green Party? Should they include Pat Buchanan of the Reform Party? What is it about the American political system that favors two party races?
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Energy played an important role in the 1980 election, and today, the candidates are again debating what should be done about the rising price of gas and heating oil. The economy was in much worse shape in 1980, but the issue was raised in the debate between President Carter and Ronald Reagan. Take a look at this Sept. 21 NewsHour report on the Gore-Bush energy debate. What are the similarities? What are the differences? Why is the price of gas such an important issue? Economists note that if the stock market, which traditionally goes down when the price of oil goes up, loses value in the three months before an election, the party in power usually loses. This predictor has been wrong 3 times out of 25 since the creation of the Dow Jones Industrial average. Keep an eye on this issue and discuss whether Vice President Gore can survive a falling Dow.
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In the second debate between Vice President George Bush and Democratic challenger Michael Dukakis, Dukakis was asked if he if would favor the death penalty for someone who had raped and murdered his wife. He gave a very straightforward, policy-oriented answer. Many people said that just showed how unemotional and cold the candidate was. Take a look at Jim Lehrer's interview with Dukakis, what does he say about that incident? What do fellow debaters Walter Mondale, John Anderson and Geraldine Ferraro say about it? Do you agree? What are some of the mistakes Gore and Bush have made recently? How important are they? 1980 is also a good example of how personal attacks are used in a campaign. Click here...
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