Debate

This fall you'll be talking about political leaders' debates, so you might get some use out of historical talking points. US Presidential debates began in 1960. This was a huge, new step with unpredictable results. At a time when TV was new, the perfect storm caused presidential debates to occur on TV. There were four debates and one of them featured the candidates in different studios in different cities. Joe Kennedy, candidate John's father had been a Hollywood producer with the Machiavellian foresight to hire the best photographers and cinematographers to document his family's rise--especially his sons'. Ted Sorensen was hired as speech writer, comedian Mort Saul wrote jokes and Joe Jr's classmate Theodore White's wrote positively about Johns Presidency. John's university essays became best-selling and Pulitzer Prize winning books. Meanwhile, Richard Nixon, the most effective American Vice President in history, was known as "the great debater." He'd been a young, handsome congressman and senator who travelled the world as VP. On one trip to Moscow, he stood toe to toe with Nikita Khrushchev and debated progress in a mock-up kitchen at a trade show--hence the term "kitchen debate." Nixon had used TV to remain on the ticket when the 1952 controversy arose over donations he'd received. Nixon went on national broadcast to make his case, including to reveal he'd received a gift from a supporter. It was a little dog "Checkers" and they were going to keep the dog--hence the "Checkers speech."

So, both candidates and, at least one father, thought they were made for TV. And, in 1960, TV thought TV was made for politics. The networks used conventions and elections as a way to show off their immediacy, new anchors and technology. At the 1956 Democratic convention, John F. Kennedy campaigned for VP and almost won. He spoke well live and on film. He went from being famous for being well known, to being famous for apparently good reason. TV was building on its success and ability to be a king-maker. All the major players were clear on wanting a debate, but the outcome was not so clear. Those who say the debates were the deciding factor in the election, ignore the 120,000 questionable Illinois ballots, Lyndon Johnson's formidable campaigning, and questionable ballots in his home state of Texas. It was the closest election in American history to that date, decided by Electoral College votes, not TV viewership. So there was no decisive win. The first debate pre-empted the Andy Griffith Show, and was seen by 70 million or so people, fewer than watched Milton Berle on Saturday nights. In 1952 when there were far fewer TVs, 65 or so million tuned into Nixon's Checkers speech. This is also about the number who turned in to the three supper hour network newscasts on many nights. It was lots of people, but 10% of the population didn't own a TV set, and most only had one set in 1960. Nixon was not the sinister character that history has made him out to be. He was the youth wing of the

Republican Party when he returned from honorable service in the Pacific and ran for Congress and Senate. He was a skilled political game player with the California delegation to the 1952 convention, and was rewarded with the VP spot on the Eisenhower ticket. Nixon, at 47, was about four years older than Kennedy and those few years were indistinguishable on TV. Kennedy appeared tanned, fit and had plump hair. This was mainly jaundice and the effects of a cocktail of medication including steroids, used to control his various ailments, all publicly attributed to his heroic war service. Nixon ailment was just a trick knee from playing football, which he favoured during the debate. Both candidates probably took makeup, with Nixon taking a more industrial variety. Nixon perspired. His mother called after one broadcast to ask if he was feeling well. But something produced darting eyes, fidgety hands, nervous shaking and a mouth foaming up with spittle on Kennedy. Kennedy also made the first huge gaff in presidential debates. Kennedy referred to his Senate committee work dealing with the "country" of Africa. Although Kennedy was well travelled in Europe and even in the old Soviet Union, he could have been painted as a dilettante who didn't know a country from a continent. How close was the debate? People who listened on radio thought Nixon won. Nixon was mobbed in airports and kissed by women. But the Kennedy style allowed any equivocation to be turned into a perceived Kennedy win. This event has been mostly viewed in a rear-view mirror as a Kennedy win, a matter discussed by Gil Troy in his great book See How They Ran.

This event was considered so politically dangerous that Americans didn't hold another Presidential debate until 1976. In 1964 challenger Barry Goldwater agreed that a debate could cause a sitting president to reveal accidentally some national security secrets, and so agreed not to have one. In 1968 and 1972 the leading candidate, Richard Nixon, used several pretexts to refuse to debate because it would have helped his opponents. By 1976 the League of Women Voters, using donated money and with regulatory encouragement from the Federal Communications Commission, lined up a few poorly watched democratic debates during the primaries, and eventually enticed President Ford and challenger Carter into the studios. President Ford probably agreed to debate, because, unlike Johnson and Nixon, he was in a much closer race. We Canadians started debates in 1968, and toyed with the format by having the 4th party Creditist leader come in part way through to reflect his seat count in the House. Progressive Conservative leader Robert Stanfield's droopy eye lids, bushy eyebrows and slow speaking style were not made for TV. But Liberal leader Pierre Trudeau would have won by surfing on the zeitgeist of the times, with or without the TV debate. In 1979, PC Leader Joe Clark, 20 years younger than Pierre Trudeau, looked like he didn't belong and might have actually looked stodgier. Trudeau mercilessly mocked Joe Clark's nervous laugh. Moreover, Clark, who towered over Trudeau in public and on TV, shrunk in Trudeau's presence. (Trudeau's official documents listed him variously at 5'6" or 5'8").

So now you have more background and trivia than the commentators you'll be watching, and

certainly more than the average voter you'll encounter in a bar. Enjoy the election.