Grynbaum smartly writes, “The debates are by far the most-watched moments of a presidential campaign, and in an increasingly partisan media environment, they offer a rare chance for the candidates to spar face to face outside the presence of spin doctors or sycophantic pundits. Debates offer a chance for Americans to see the candidates answer tough questions, with journalistically sound pushback, about topics that do greatly impact this country: the economy, abortion, guns, immigration and wars in Ukraine and between Israel and Hamas, just to name a few. Certainly not rallies, where candidates can say whatever they want to adoring fans with no pushback. There is simply no substitute for the candidates debating with each other, and before the American people, their visions for the future of the nation.” The draft of the letter states, “If there is one thing Americans can agree on, during this polarized time, it is that the stakes of this election are exceptionally high. Outside of sporting events, few broadcasts can rival the millions that tune in to watch a debate.īut let’s also give the networks a little credit. As it reportedly stated in the letter, “tens of millions have tuned in to watch.” In other words, millions of viewers could turn on their TVs on a Tuesday night in September. In each of those elections, tens of millions have tuned in to watch the candidates debating side by side, in a competition of ideas, for the votes of American citizens.”įirst, let’s start by saying the network’s plea isn’t all about preserving democracy by continuing the rich tradition of debates. The letter also said, “General election debates have a rich tradition in our American democracy, having played a vital role in every presidential election of the past 50 years dating to 1976. The letter has not been sent, and the networks, which are not commenting, are apparently seeking other news outlets, such as newspapers, to join in their appeal to the candidates.īut Grynbaum obtained a copy of the letter, which said, “We, the undersigned national news organizations, urge the presumptive presidential nominees to publicly commit to participating in general election debates before November’s election.” Grynbaum reports that the big five - ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC - have drafted a letter urging Biden and Trump to debate. Well, the news networks seem to think so. The country is as divided as ever and candidates - well, one candidate - have the propensity to turn respectable political conversations into disrespectful, trash-talking, truth-bending and outright lying spectacles that only further widen the chasm. Are two or three debates going to change anyone’s mind? Are there truly those still undecided? Will a debate get someone to switch what are clearly established sides?ĭebates are a time-honored tradition in American politics. You probably figure that there is this side and there is that side and never the twain shall meet. That’s the question many might ask when discussing whether or not presumptive presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump should participate in debates this year ahead of the 2024 election.
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