What Good Are Presidential Debates, Anyway?

No one much cared to debate with George Washington, he was a national hero and even in his lifetime was seen as the father of the republic. But since that time, whenever a presidential election is in the offing, those who consider themselves to be viable candidates find some opportunity to hold forth on their views with the hopes of gaining support and winning the election. . Sometimes candidates only battle in the press or by word of mouth , but many times their differences have been formalized as a debate and at least some of the voters have had a chance to listen in. Since the age of television, it has become almost a tradition that major candidates should debate on television. While the presidential debates, before the primary and again before the general election, have become rather customary, the question for many viewers has become what good are presidential debates anyway?

For some Americans the holding of presidential debates seems an incredible waste of time. They reason that many people in the United States simply vote according to their party anyway. Independents, have already made up their minds on the basis of what they have read in the newspaper or on line, particular positions held by a candidate, the candidate's passed performance , even things like the candidate's religion. The idea that these positions held by the voters, as thinly documented as they might be, are going to be changed by a televised debate seems unlikely and certainly not worth the fuss and the funds that go into their production. There are at least 6 good reasons why the tradition of presidential debates should be continued.

1. Presidential debates are an effective tool for bringing the non-reading public into the political fray. Sure lots of American read the news paper every day. Some follow news stories and political candidates on line. But many others simply don't . Many Americans just aren't interested on a daily basis in politics or candidates. They need a hook to bring them into the process. If each vote in this country is to have value then , as a nation, we have to support those activities which help to better educate the electorate. Presidential debates are one highly visible tool that can help to enlighten the voters, especially the non- readers.

2. Presidential debates help to put a name and face together. Believe it or not there are some Americans who really don't know who the candidates are or what they look like. The recent multi participant debates in each party are a good example of the assistance voters can receive by being able to sit down and put a name with a face . For those who are front runners for their party's nomination name and face recognition might not be an issue, but for someone who was the former Senator of Alaska there may be more than a few people who don't really know who this person is. Presidential debates, especially within the party, before the primaries, really do a service to us all and to the candidates simply by letting us see who is who.

3. Presidential debates remind us of what the main issues are and help us to take a position ourselves. Many Americans take a political siesta between presidential campaigns. Unless they are personally involved in an issue they may simply let the government handle it. Watching a presidential debate helps draw all Americans back to the central issues that our nation faces both domestic and international. Making an acquaintance with these issues allows us to refine our own thinking and take a position for ourselves. When we take a position it makes it easier for us to determine who we want to be the next President of the United States.

4. Presidential debate dilute the effect of one sided political ads. As the presidential campaign moves along invariably candidates fire off salvos via the airwaves blaming opposition candidates for all manner of evils. Letting candidates, not just their ads, speak for themselves makes them speak responsibly and also allows for opposition response. Debates can reduce the damage caused by overpowering ad campaigns and make the campaign more fair and less about the amount of money candidates can throw into advertising. They allow low budget candidates a chance to have national television exposure regardless of the size of their political war chest.

5. Presidential debates allow us to see candidates from a more personal perspective. In prepared speeches, press conferences and political literature we see the candidate as his handlers and managers want us to see him or her. In a debate the candidate is on his or her own. Well phrased and directed questions and the open responses they provoke can help us to see candidates as real people not as manikins. In a debate we may get a glimpse of a candidate's sense of humor, reasoning ability, adeptness under questioning and ability to hold his own. We get to watch his or her mind at work. Presidential debates can give us a real window into the person, not just the candidate, who we will vote for as our next president.

6. Presidential debates remind everyone that in a democracy like ours no one gets a free ride. Voters in a democracy cannot just sit back and let someone else do the voting . If they do, then they have no one else to blame for the state of affairs in our nation then themselves. Voting is not what someone else does for us, it is what we, as a people, do for ourselves. No one gets a pass, everyone in a democracy makes up part of the voice of the people.

But none of the candidates should get a get a free ride either. They are running for the most important office in our nation and possibly in the world. They have a responsibility to present themselves and their positions for the consideration of the electorate. It's no longer enough to simply throw your hat into the political ring and let your handlers find a way to win the election Presidential debates help us as the voters and the candidates to hold one another accountable for what happens in this country.

It's easy to brush off the importance of the political debates. We would rather watch the ball game, play cards or go to bed early. But the value of our national political debates should not be underestimated. We have very few real responsibilities as American citizens, one of them certainly is to vote. But having the vote means preparing to cast it with intelligence. One way to handle that responsibility is to tune in to every presidential debate that is aired. If you do you'll find it easier to answer the question:"What good are presidential debates, anyway?".