As the presidential campaign continues, debates are one way for candidates to energize their base and educate voters on their platforms. They are important to the electoral process, but they are not a be-all and end-all — a bad performance can be just as damaging as a stellar one.
Political debate is a complex and challenging endeavor, both for candidates and moderators. For a debate to be useful, it must be well-moderated. This requires a high level of technical expertise, including ensuring that the topics are well-defined, time is allocated evenly, and the order of responses is appropriate. Additionally, the questions need to be framed in a way that promotes discussion of substantive issues rather than simply serving as a forum for partisan attack.
The current debate format relies on a small pool of highly experienced broadcast journalists to moderate. This can create the perception that debates are more like a public boxing match than an opportunity for voters to understand and evaluate candidates’ plans, positions and policies. The debate pool should be expanded to include a variety of experts, including those with relevant academic or professional credentials from outside the media, and questions could be curated by this group.
Heightened polarization in America has left many Americans frustrated with the very idea of political debate. They wonder, “What’s the point?” Despite this frustration, there is good news: Debate does work.