Political debate is an important tool to help voters gain a better understanding of candidates and their policies. This is why debates have spanned centuries, from the Lincoln-Douglas debate to the first televised presidential debate hosted by the League of Women Voters in 1952. In a society where politics are so polarized and election campaigns often stretch into years, do political debates still matter?
A debate is a face-to-face discussion between a candidate or a group of candidates and a moderator. The moderator is a neutral party or independent person who sets the rules for the debate, including what questions will be asked and when. A debate can take many forms, from a town hall meeting with a question-and-answer format to a studio-based event with one or more moderators.
For example, in a presidential debate, each candidate is given an allotted amount of time to respond to questions and rebut the other candidates’ arguments. Typically, the moderator will ask the candidates to make opening and closing statements about the issues covered during the debate. In addition, the moderator will select which questions are asked and in what order. At times, the topic may be determined by a coin toss or the moderator will allow each candidate to raise a specific concern about the other.
In the United States, presidential debates are organized and broadcast by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). CPD does not have direct affiliation with any political parties or PACs and receives its funding from a variety of sources, including private corporations. The CPD determines the sites and dates of debates a year in advance. It also sets the criteria for moderators and sets formats for the debates.