September 20, 2016

THE BASICSTopic: Debates in the 2016 Presidential Election

“It is better to debate a question without settling it than to settle a question without debating it.” --Joseph Joubert

Articles “The State of the Presidential Debate” (9/19) (The New Yorker) “Do presidential debates matter? Here’s the political science evidence” (9/12) (Vox) “Nearly a Quarter of Americans Say Presidential Debates Could Sway Their Vote” (9/11) (ABC News) “Presidential Debate Moderators Are Set, With Lester Holt for the First” (9/2) (The NY Times) “CBSN’s Elaine Quijano Boosts Profile With Vice Presidential Debate Moderator Slot” (9/2) (Variety) “Third-party candidates in late push for debate stage” (8/6) (The Hill)

Questions to Consider

Generalo What is a debate? How do debates help us make up our minds about candidates and

issues?o What rules should be made for effective debates? What are the pluses for the debate

format? What negatives might be part of the debate format?o Who decides the rules for the Presidential debates? What is the Commission on

Presidential Debates?o What is the history of debates in American elections? o What is the importance of debates in the history of this country?o What role do debates play in a democratic society?

Format/Moderatorso Why are the dates of the debates controversial? How does the conflict with NFL games

affect the calendar? Is it important that the viewing audience be as large as possible? Why?

o Do the format and the moderator make a difference in the quality of the debates?

o What safeguards, if any, should be in place to create a more dignified and more productive debate?

o Should fact checking be part of a debate or accomplished after the debate ends?o What is the role of the moderator of the debates? Is the primary duty to allow the

candidates to present their credentials or to fact check arguments by the candidates, or both? Is a no moderator option a good idea?

o How does the format of the debate itself influence strengths and weaknesses of the candidates? Is it useful to allow the candidates to ask questions of each other? Is it productive to solicit questions from a live audience?

Topicso What topics should be covered in the debates? Should the future of democracy and a

plan to restore faith in our system of government be the first question asked of the candidates? Why or why not?

o How might recent terror incidents change the conversation at the Presidential Debate?o What issue or topic would you include in a debate question for the two presidential

candidates if you had the opportunity? Why is it important to you to know their answers? Participants

o Should third party candidates be included in Presidential debates? What should the threshold be for inclusion?

o How much does style affect success in a debate? How much does command of the facts affect success in a debate? How much do new approaches to old problems affect success in a debate?

o Do candidates have a responsibility to debate their challengers? Why or why not? Do citizens have a right to hear the opinions of potential government leaders?

Viewerso What is the schedule for the 2016 election debate? What does it mean to “win” a debate?

What is the effect of media spinning of the debate? Does winning a debate make a difference in the actual election?

o How might debates change the outcome of the 2016 presidential election? o Should debate watchers create a list of issues about which they are concerned prior to

the debates in order to assess the candidates? THE EXTRASPre-teaching, Extensions & Further Reading

“Commission on Presidential Debates Announces Format for 2016 General Election Debates” (Commission on Presidential Debates)

“’Debating Our Future:’ panel discusses role of moderators, presidential debates at forum” (9/15) (The Observer)

“From Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-Romney: General election debates” (USA Today) “Lincoln-Douglas Debates” (history.com)

Lesson Plans

“The Presidential Debate – National Security Questions I Want Asked” (9/12) (Security Debrief) “Inside the Debates” (PBS) “Debate Watch Teaching Guide” (Anti-Defamation League)

What’s the Connection? Constitutional

“Federal court dismisses lawsuit requesting third party presence at presidential debates” (8/6)

(Jurist) “The Great Debate” (ConstitutionFacts.com)

Oregon “Oregon Governor Won’t Debate Until September” (6/22) (OPB)

Students “Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton: Where They Stand on Education” (9/8) (The New York Times)

Oregon State Social Science Standards8.26. Examine a controversial event, issue, or problem from more than one perspective. HS.33. Explain the role of government in various current events.HS.35. Examine the pluralistic realities of society (e.g., race, poverty, gender, and age), recognizing issues of equity, and evaluating need for change. HS.59. Demonstrate the skills and dispositions needed to be a critical consumer of information.HS.60. Analyze an event, issue, problem, or phenomenon form varied or opposing perspectives or points of view.

CCSS Anchor Standards2. Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.4. Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.6. Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.7. Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. 8. Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.

We the People Lesson ConnectionsMiddle School, Level 2

Unit 6, Lesson 29: What are the rights and responsibilities of citizenship? Unit 6, Lesson 30: How might citizens participate in civic affairs?

High School, Level 3 Unit 4, Lesson 23: What is the role of the President in the American Constitutional

System? Unit 6, Lesson 33: What does it mean to be a citizen? Unit 6, Lesson 34: What is the importance of civic engagement to American

Constitutional Democracy?