COMMENTARY: The Debating Of Debates

FAYETTEVILLE — American politics changed dramatically at this time 50 years ago. For the first time in our history, there were debates between the major presidential candidates, and they took place on national television. Eventually, televised debates became a fixture of our political campaigns. However, nothing like that had been seen before the fall of 1960.

Those 1960 debates established television as the forum for political campaigns and increasingly politics revolved around television. Those particular debates aided the campaign of John F. Kennedy as he exhibited a natural affinity for communicating through television, while Richard Nixon, considered a slight favorite in the campaign, looked haggard and less at ease. He was also hampered in the first debate by an infected leg and poorly chosen make-up that left him looking pasty and sweaty.

Mythology now shrouds those legendary debates, but there were some real consequences with significant impact on the way politics is pursued and perceived. They resulted in greater emphasis on appearance and style, and were a factor in reducing the importance of retail, face-to-face campaigning and party organization.

Debates also offered a chance to measure candidates side by side and in many cases gave underdogs a chance to show that they could holdtheir own against better known or more experienced candidates.

One further point about those debates of 50 years ago: Both Nixon and Kennedy were well-informed and able to express their views effectively. I have watched those debates many times in classes and I am always impressed with their command of the issues.

The contrast with what we have seen among some candidates for the presidency and other major offices in more recent years is striking - and I’m not just referring to the deer-inthe-headlights performance by the governor of Arizona.

Despite the undisputed historic significance of those 1960 debates, the televised confrontations did not immediately become established features of campaigns. Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Richard Nixon in 1968 and 1972 saw no reason to give underdog opponents a chance to trip them up. It was not until 1976 when Gerald Ford, the unelected president, agreed to debate Jimmy Carter that the presidential debates took on permanency.

And the ’76 debates wereinfluential - demonstrating that the relatively unknown former Georgia governor could more than hold his own with Ford, who made a costly bumble.

Just as the presidential debates became quadrennial events, there were also frequent debates between aspiring presidential nominees in primaries and in races for a variety of other offices, many of them televised.

Debates are not without their shortcomings and not always very enlightening.

In some cases candidates go into a defensive posture, simply trying to avoid any possible gaffe or flub. Others simply repeat hackneyed phrases or they are focused on getting in planned quips intended to provide good sound bites.

And then there are debates about the debates - rival camps warily circling each other trying to sure that whatever may be agreed on - if anything - as to dates, venues, and ground rules will be to their advantage.

With a number of state and congressional elections coming up, we are once again in the debating season. Arkansas is fortunate to have AETN, statewide public television, arranging debates among candidates for statewide and federal offices. Nine debates are scheduled to be televised during the week of Oct.

11-15. Among them will be a debate between the candidates for the U.S.

Senate - Incumbent Democrat Blanche Lincoln, Republican Rep. JohnBoozman, Independent Trevor Drown and Green candidate John Gray.

Lincoln, trailing Boozman in polls (although narrowing the gap a bit in recent surveys), would like to have more debates. The candidates have had a few joint appearances, some of them labeled debates, although not seen by wide audiences. Typical of many front-runners, Boozman has declined a number of additional debate invitations, figuring that he has little to gain from such appearances. At one point Boozman suggested that the two participate in several “town hall” events. However, the town-hall format has become synonymous with shout fests where there’s more heat than light, not the kind of setting Lincoln prefers. Nonetheless, she seems eager to get more opportunities to get her opponent on the record - whatever the format.

Given the critical issues facing the nation, and particularly because of the Senate’s descent into polarized paralysis, the public deserves to hear specific responses rather than glib generalities and oversimplified TV commercials about what can and should be done in Washington.

Those first debates 50 years ago introduced important new elements into American politics and began a tradition we should value and continue.

HOYT PURVIS IS A JOURNALISM AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PROFESSOR.