Historically, political debate has played an important role in shaping the election process. Debates are a key opportunity for politicians to communicate with voters and to gain insights into what issues are on the minds of the electorate. The effectiveness of a candidate’s performance in a debate can make or break their chances of winning.
In the United States, political debate is typically conducted as a series of televised events. Each debate is led by a moderator and features one or two candidates who are competing for the office of President. The format of the debates varies but, in general, the candidates are given equal amounts of time to respond to questions about their policies and positions on the issues. The debates are often followed by a post-debate poll to measure the impact of the event.
Heightened political polarization has made debates less popular among viewers. Many feel that the blame-and-shame culture of political discussion only leads to rehearsed answers from both sides, leaving audiences frustrated and with little learning done. In response, Norwegian broadcaster NRK has launched Einig? (or Agreed?) – a politics show with a different approach. The program asks guests to look for points of common agreement instead of finding ways to discredit each other. The team behind the show has found that, when politicians are taken away from confrontational formats, they can have calm and curious discussions without the point scoring.
In order to participate in a presidential debate, candidates must meet certain criteria set by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). These include a level of support among the national electorate that is statistically feasible based on five national public opinion polls and evidence that they will be competitive in a head-to-head with other candidates. In addition, the CPD carefully considers early voting dates, religious and federal holidays and White House television pool contractual conflicts when determining debate dates each cycle.
