How informative an debate or forum is depends on such factors as which and how many candidates are participating, the moderator and his or her conduct, the audience and its conduct, and very importantly, the format. The forum or debate sponsor(s), which may be a news organization (or organizations), the state party, an interest group, or a combination of these entities, sets the rules. The distinction between a "debate" and a "forum" can be murky. Many or most forums are basically joint or serial appearances. Even if the candidates share the stage, direct exchanges between them are rare. Questions may come from reporters or audience members or from e-mail submissions or video clips. Some forums or debates have a theme, such as health care or "brown and black" issues; others are more encompassing. In the past, some debates have come to resemble game shows, or have been badly chopped up with advertising breaks.
When ten or more candidates are vying for a party's nomination, it can be very difficult to produce a coherent event. In this 2007-08 cycle some "lower tier" candidates complained that they were not been granted as much time as the media-designated frontrunners, raising the question of fairness. Raise-your-hand, yes-or-no questions also came in for criticism as they do not allow the candidates to elaborate or explain their positions. Each cycle minor controversies also arise over longshot candidates who are not invited to participate. In 2007, on the Democratic side, former Sen. Mike Gravel made the cut for early televised debates, emerging as something of a gadfly in the process, but then was excluded, and as the season progressed into 2008 organizers kept Rep. Dennis Kucinich from participating in a number of debates. On the Republican side businessman John Cox was not invited to participate in the televised debates. Alan Keyes inexplicably showed up in the Des Moines Register debate. (At the other extreme, if there is a strong frontrunner, he or she may choose to duck all but a few forums). There have been suggestions that smaller groups of three or four candidates might hold debates.
While numerous primary
debates
and forums were proposed, many of them did not occur. Democrats
sought
to introduce a measure of restraint on the number of debates by
sanctioning
six, one per month from July through December; ultimately five of these
occured. All told Democrats held 20 debates and Republicans
16.
The sheer number of such events as well as scheduling conflicts caused
others to be canceled. Additionally, once there is a strong
frontrunner,
he or she typically chooses to decline all but a few forums; this
indeed
happened in February 2008 when Obama and McCain were the frontrunners
and
Clinton and Huckabee pressed for debates.
MAJOR DEBATES (another
view)
MAY
JUNE
-June 3 - CNN/WMUR/New
Hampshire Union Leader Democratic debate at Saint Anselm College in
Manchester,
NH.
-June 28 - PBS
Democratic presidential forum at Howard University in Washington, DC.
JULY
-July 12 - Democratic
Candidate
Forum at the NAACP Annual Conference in Detroit, MI.
-**July 23 - YouTube/Google
and CNN at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.
AUGUST
-Aug. 4 - Presidential
Leadership
Forum at the second annual Yearly Kos Convention in Chicago, IL.
-**Aug. 19 - ABC
News and ABC5/WOI-TV/Iowa Democratic Party forum at Drake University in
Des Moines, IA.
SEPTEMBER
-Sept. 9 - Univision
Democratic forum at the University of Miami, in Miami, FL.
-**Sept. 26 - Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.
OCTOBER
-**Oct. 30 - Democratic
Presidential Candidates Debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.
NOVEMBER
-**Nov. 15 - CNN/Nevada
Democratic Party Nevada Democratic Presidential Debate at UNLV in Las
Vegas,
NV (initially Nov. 4). >
DECEMBER
-Dec. 1 - Iowa Brown &
Black Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum in Des Moines, IA.
>
-Dec.
4 - NPR/Iowa Public Radio Democratic debate at the State
Historical
Society of Iowa building in Des Moines, IA
(initially
Jan. 2008). >
-Dec.
13 - The Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate at Iowa
Public
Television's Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, IA. >
2008
JANUARY 2008
-Jan. 5 - ABC News,
WMUR-TV
and Facebook Democratic debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester,
NH.
>
-Jan.
15 - Presidential Debate on Brown-Black Issues at the Cashman Center in
Las Vegas, NV. >
-Jan. 21 - Congressional
Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute (CBC
Institute)/CNN
debate at the Palace Theater in Myrtle Beach, SC. >,
more
-Jan. 31 - CNN/Los Angeles
Times/Politico debate at Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA. >
FEBRUARY
-Feb. 21 - CNN, Univision,
and Texas Democratic Party presidential debate at the University of
Texas
in Austin, TX. >
-Feb. 26 - NBC Democratic
debate at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, OH.
MARCH
APRIL
-Apr. 16 - ABC News and
WPVI-TV Democratic debate at the National Constitution Center in
Philadelphia,
PA. >+
**On May 16, 2007 the DNC announced its six sanctioned debates of which five occured.
There
were a lot, but there could have been more. Here are some of the
proposed Democratic debates that did not happen or were moved:
-Aug.
14, 2007 - FOX News/Nevada Democratic Party/Western Majority Project
debate
focusing on Western regional issues in Reno, NV. >
-Sept.
23, 2007 - Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and
Leadership
Institute (CBC Institute)/FOX debate in Detroit, MI. >
-Oct.
21, 2007 - ABC News/WMUR-TV/Union Leader Democratic debate in
Manchester,
NH. (ABC canceled)
-**Dec.
10, 2007 - CBS in Los Angeles, CA. (DNC canceled on Nov. 28 "due to the
uncertainty created by the ongoing labor dispute between CBS and the
Writers
Guild of America.") >
-Dec.
17, 2007 - John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Foundation /CNN/THE
POLITICO
debate in Boston, MA. >
(cancelation announced Dec. 10 "due to the early scheduling of the Iowa
caucuses")
-Jan.
6, 2008 - The Des Moines Register Democratic Presidential Debate in
Johnston,
IA. (moved to Dec. 12, 2007)
-mid-Feb.
2008 - ABC, WISN-TV, Marquette University Law School and
Wispolitics.com
in Milwaukee, WI.
(Clinton
accepted the invitation to debate at Marquette University, but Obama
did
not. The Clinton campaign even ran a TV ad on Obama's refusal to
participate in the debate).
-Apr.
27, 2008 - CBS News debate at North Carolina State University's RBC
Center
in Raleigh, NC. >
(Initially
scheduled for April 19; on March 13 Obama had agreed to
participate.
Date later changed to April 27; Clinton accepted but Obama did
not.
Clinton campaign then came up with a proposal for Lincoln-Douglas style
debates.) >
-before
the May 6, 2008 primary - The Indiana Debate Commission proposed a
debate
to be carried by PBS and CNN.
>
-The
Clinton campaign pressed for debates in Oregon. >
REPUBLICAN ...16
JUNE
-June 5 - CNN/WMUR/New
Hampshire Union Leader Republican debate at Saint Anselm College in
Manchester,
NH.
JULY
AUGUST
-Aug. 5 - ABC News and
ABC5/WOI-TV
Republican forum at Drake University in Des Moines, IA.
>,
2
SEPTEMBER
-Sept. 5 - FOX
News/NHGOP Republican debate at the University of New Hampshire in
Durham,
NH.
-Sept. 27 - PBS Republican
presidential forum at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. >
OCTOBER
-Oct. 9 - CNBC/MSNBC/Wall
Street Journal Republican Debate at the Ford Community & Performing
Arts Center in Dearborn, MI.
-Oct.
21 - Florida Republican Party/FOX News debate at Rosen Shingle Creek in
Orlando, FL. >
NOVEMBER
-Nov.
28 - RPOF, CNN and YouTube/Google debate at the Mahaffey Theater at the
Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts in St. Petersburg FL
(initially
scheduled for Sept. 17). >
DECEMBER
-Dec. 9 - Univision
Network
Presidential Forum at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL.
-Dec.
12 - The Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate at Iowa
Public
Television's Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, IA. >
2008
JANUARY 2008
-Jan. 5 - ABC News,
WMUR-TV
and Facebook Republican debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester,
NH.
>
-Jan.
6 - FOX News forum at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.
+
-Jan.
10 - South Carolina Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate at
the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, SC.>,
+
-Jan. 24 - Republican
Presidential
Debate at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. >
-Jan. 30 - Reagan
Presidential
Library Foundation/CNN/Los Angeles Times/Politico debate in Simi
Valley,
CA. >
There
were a lot, but there could have been more. Here are some of the
proposed Republican debates that did not happen or were moved:
-Sept.
16, 2007 - Univision Republican debate at BankUnited Center at the
University
of Miami, in Miami, FL. >
(only McCain accepted; rescheduled Dec. 9)
-Sept.
17, 2007 - RPOF, CNN and YouTube/Google debate at the Mahaffey Theater
at the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts in St. Petersburg FL.
>
(rescheduled for Nov. 28)
-Sept.
27, 2007 - NECN, NBC News, Dartmouth College and NHPR debate at
Dartmouth
College in Hanover, NH. >
(seeking to reschedule)
-Oct.
14, 2007 - ABC News/WMUR-TV/Union Leader Republican debate in
Manchester,
NH. >
(ABC canceled)
-Nov.
6, 2007 - MSNBC Republican debate at the University of Northern Iowa in
Cedar Falls, IA.
>
("postponed due to candidate scheduling conflicts.")
-Dec.
3, 2007 - NPR/Iowa Public Radio Republican debate at the State
Historical
Society of Iowa building in Des Moines, IA (initially Jan. 2008).
>
(did not occur)
-Dec.
4, 2007 - Republican Party of Iowa/FOX News Channel debate.>
(canceled)
-Jan.
5, 2008 - The Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate in
Johnston,
IA. (moved to Dec. 13, 2007)
Debates and Forums
Co-Sponsored
by Network
ABC
Rep.-
Aug.
5 - ABC News and ABC5/WOI-TV Republican forum at Drake University in
Des
Moines, IA.
>,
2
Dem.-
**Aug. 19 - ABC
News and ABC5/WOI-TV/Iowa Democratic Party forum at Drake University in
Des Moines, IA.
Dem.-
Jan. 5 - ABC News, WMUR-TV and Facebook Democratic debate at Saint
Anselm
College in Manchester, NH.
>
Rep.-
Jan. 5 - ABC News, WMUR-TV and Facebook Republican debate at Saint
Anselm
College in Manchester, NH. >
CNN
Dem.-
June 3 - CNN/WMUR/New
Hampshire Union Leader Democratic debate at Saint Anselm College in
Manchester,
NH.
Rep.-
June 5 - CNN/WMUR/New
Hampshire Union Leader Republican debate at Saint Anselm College in
Manchester,
NH.
Dem.-
**July 23 - YouTube/Google
and CNN at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.
Dem.-
**Nov. 15 - CNN/Nevada Democratic Party Nevada Democratic Presidential
Debate at UNLV in Las Vegas, NV (initially Nov. 4). >
Rep.-
Nov. 28 - RPOF, CNN and YouTube/Google debate at the Mahaffey Theater
at
the Progress Energy Center for Performing Arts in St. Petersburg FL
(initially
scheduled for Sept. 17). >
Dem.-
Jan. 21 - Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership
Institute (CBC Institute)/CNN debate at the Palace Theater in Myrtle
Beach,
SC. >,
more
Rep.-
Jan.
30 - Reagan Presidential Library Foundation/CNN/Los Angeles
Times/Politico
debate in Simi Valley, CA. >
Dem.-
Jan. 31 - CNN/Los Angeles Times/Politico debate at Kodak Theatre in
Hollywood,
CA. >
Dem.-
Feb. 21 - CNN, Univision, and Texas Democratic Party presidential
debate
at the University of Texas in Austin, TX.
FOX News (all Rep.)
-May 15 - South
Carolina Republican Party/FOX News debate at the University of South
Carolina
in Columbia, SC.
-Sept. 5 - FOX
News/NHGOP Republican debate at the University of New Hampshire in
Durham,
NH.
-Oct.
21 - Florida Republican Party/FOX News debate at Rosen Shingle Creek in
Orlando, FL. >
-Jan.
6 - FOX News forum at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH.
-Jan.
10 - South Carolina Republican Party Presidential Candidates Debate at
the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, SC.>,
+
NBC/MSNBC
Dem.-
April
26 - South
Carolina Democratic Party/NBC News debate at South Carolina State
University
in Orangeburg, SC.
Dem.-
**Sept. 26 - Democratic
Presidential Candidates Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH.
Rep.-
Oct. 9 - CNBC/MSNBC/Wall
Street Journal Republican Debate at the Ford Community & Performing
Arts Center in Dearborn, MI.
Dem.-
**Oct. 30 - Democratic
Presidential Candidates Debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.
Dem.-
Jan. 15 - Presidential Debate on Brown-Black Issues at the Cashman
Center
in Las Vegas, NV. >
Rep.-
Jan. 24 - Republican Presidential Debate at Florida Atlantic University
in Boca Raton, FL. >
Dem.-
Feb. 26 - NBC Democratic debate at Cleveland State University in
Cleveland,
OH.
Others
Dem.-
June 28 - PBS
Democratic presidential forum at Howard University in Washington, DC.
Dem.-
Sept. 9 - Univision
Democratic forum at the University of Miami, in Miami, FL.
Dem.-
Dec. 1 - Iowa Brown & Black Democratic Presidential Candidate Forum
in Des Moines, IA.
>
Dem.-
Dec. 4 - NPR/Iowa Public Radio Democratic debate at the State
Historical
Society of Iowa building in Des Moines, IA
(initially
Jan. 2008). >
Rep.-
Dec. 9 - Univision Network Presidential Forum at the University of
Miami
in Coral Gables, FL.
Rep.-
Dec. 12 - The Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate at
Iowa
Public Television's Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, IA. >
Dem.-
Dec. 13 - The Des Moines Register Republican Presidential Debate at
Iowa
Public Television's Maytag Auditorium in Johnston, IA. >
(see also: 2004 debates and forums).
Note: In addition to
debates
there are myriad events where the candidates make their cases before
the
same audience. Here are a few examples: MORE
FORUMS
Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008 Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action |
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