Whether neophyte candidate or experienced elected official, I always disliked candidate debates. They were nerve-wracking, often contrived and stilted and, I thought, rarely changed anyone’s position about candidate choice. Preparing for a debate, even at the local level, is a shot in the dark, as the issues are many but the opportunities to discuss them are constrained. Two minutes to answer and a minute for rebuttal works against substantive discussion. Perhaps that’s the legacy of our sound-bite culture. The answer must be pithy and performative rather than expert, explanatory, or educational. I much prefer a forum where candidates can make an opening statement, a closing statement, and take questions from the audience in between. It should be a discussion with constituents, not a rant.
It is easy to over-prepare for a candidate debate. You want to cover every angle, research every issue, jot down the trigger words that will focus your answers, and memorize esoteric numbers and policies, just in case you are asked to opine. You must prepare for verbal attacks without resorting to the same, and develop a thick skin to let those confrontations, from the opposing candidate(s) or their supporters, roll off your back. The most important thing to remember? Never let them see you sweat.
From the empty studio and the “no notes” rules to the lackluster CNN news anchors and curious camera angles, last week’s presidential debate was devastating — for both sides. Not surprisingly, Mr. Trump lied his way through the debate. Was his failure to answer questions, even when prompted, a show of hubris or simply disinterest in anything he couldn’t spin? Perhaps a bit more controlled than his familiar airport hangar tirades, it was embarrassingly classic Trump. Embarrassing also describes President Biden’s debate performance. Expectations were high or low, depending on the pundit; disappointing seems to be the common assessment. Biden didn’t duck questions, but sometimes got lost in the details. Both debaters would have benefitted from an opportunity to have some notes available at the podium. At the very least, access to notes (I always used index cards) might have kept the debaters more focused.
Presidents don’t run the Executive Branch single-handedly. They must recruit the best and the brightest for the team — cabinet secretaries, White House aides, and advisors — that will be responsible for assisting presidential decisions and governance during the four-year term. When you vote for the “head of the ticket” in presidential elections, you are voting not just for one person but for an entire team. Mr. Trump churned through cabinet secretaries, chiefs of staff, and press people like a shark after blood, and dozens of former Trump aides and appointees have declared Mr. Trump “unfit” for the presidency.
Nevertheless, the MAGA crowd and the Republican Party apparatus see Mr. Trump as the opportunity to finish tearing apart our democracy that Steve Bannon and his ilk set in motion from the first words of Mr. Trump’s dystopian inaugural speech in 2017.
Everyone has a bad day, sometimes under the bright lights of television. President Biden and his team admitted it was not a stellar performance, and most of those watching agreed. When the choice is between an unfit, egomaniacal, womanizing, convicted felon and an experienced statesman whose presidency has created jobs, reduced inflation, supported women’s health choices, and worked to enhance our alliances around the world, I’ll take the statesman any time.
As we look to the political conventions and the November election, let’s remember that the American flag flies over all of us, not just some of us. On this 4th of July, that’s something we all should celebrate!
