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The On the Hill: Breaking Down DC podcast is a collection of sharing more about what’s happening in DC without the bias, ways for you to get involved with the US government, and interviews with friends, colleagues who can help pull back the proverbial curtain of Washington, DC. Katherine Getty, host of the OTH podcast, is a 10-year Washingtonian who lives and breathes politics.
Katherine Getty 0:01
Hi, and welcome to the on the Hill podcast with me your host, Katherine Getty. Each Thursday, I'll peel back the curtain of what happens in Washington, from breaking down current events without bias, to interviews with fellow political nerds, and even and maybe most importantly, ways for you to get involved with our US government. Welcome back to another episode of The on the Hill podcast with me, your host, Katherine Getty. Today, if you're listening in real time is the first debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. So I thought it'd be fun to go through a little bit of the history of US presidential debates and provide you some of the rules of the road and what we're going to see tonight, not the content, not the contours of what maybe the candidates will speak to, but what are the different rules that we're going to see tonight? Because I think it's helpful as you watch it. So I'd say the history of US presidential debates from what I can find, and and there's some pretty good resources is that they have really, presidential debates have really started develop, as the media has developed, has political campaign communication and engagement in the process has really changed. And you kind of see the first known or first really, you know, public debate that was pre television, obviously, was the Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A, Douglas. That happened during their US campaign Senate campaign. These debates were often seen as the precursor for presidential debates, and they sort of developed from that 1850s. You see, in 1940s, that was when the radio really started to take hold within the US. And that rate, the debate was publicized over the radio, I'm having a brain dump in this moment. But we saw that kind of developing you saw in the advent of the television, that Kennedy Nixon debates in 1860. Those were the first, you know, televised, you really saw how, you know, there's a lot of reports about how John, John F Kennedy seemed really comfortable in front of the camera and Richard Nixon less so. So then you saw kind of a slowdown, a slowdown in presidential debates, which I had not realized before researching this, but between 1964 and 1972. For the US presidential campaigns. There were no presidential debates. That was because of candidates reluctance on maybe the format, they had disagreements over how they are going to engage in this debate. So there was actually a decline. And there was no, you know, debates during that time period. You saw them come back in 1976. And there were three debates between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford. And those were really the new precedent for what presidential campaigns could look like. You see then over, you know, the 80s, the presidential debate becoming something of real importance, something, you know, appointment television, we like to call it. And then you saw in in 1987, the development of the Commission on Presidential Debates. So since then, since 1987, forgive me I can't speak today. The Commission on Presidential Debates had really been there to be a part of the election process, a nonpartisan convener of this presidential debate, but remember that the Commission on Presidential Debates because it'll come back into this year 2024. You saw in the 90s. And in 2000, you know, in 1992, there was the Clinton Bush perot debates. That was the inclusion that included the third party candidate Ross Perot. That was pretty notable. We haven't seen that since then we saw in 2011 to 2020. Really, it was a pretty kind of turnkey exercise. You saw two debates in the fall between the presidential candidates, one vice presidential candidate, but we can't now come to 2024. And 2024 is a bit different because like I haven't referenced the Commission on Presidential Debates. They had been created in 1987. They were there to kind of be a nonpartisan group to convene. There was a lot of consternation about the last 2020 debate and how it was kind of managed. If you watched any of the 2020 debates and no hate or shade to any of the moderators. I can't imagine having to moderate between, you know, President Biden and former President Trump but it was very difficult to watch and to better understand what are these candidates speaking to because they were speaking so much about their personalities, you now see in 2024, where the Commission on Presidential Debates is not involved. It is there's going to be a CNN debate on June 27. And then there is going to be an ABC debate later in the in the summer. That is notable for many reasons. One, then the commission not being involved is pretty notable. You also see it being really early June presidential debate is rather early. Historically, you see them kind of pat, after conventions and convention for the Republican National Convention will be in July and the Democratic National Convention will be in August, you really see that being before is pretty uncommon, because theoretically, while both President Biden have won the requirements to be the Democratic nominee, as well, as you know, for President Trump have done the same on the Republican side. They're not theoretically, the elected or fully nominated candidates. So it's very notable to see at this early, you will see and this debate, a lot more control, may that be on microphones, they are allowed to be muted after they answer a question, you're not going to see. In years past, I would say from 2000 to 220 20. Each candidate will be given you know, some time for opening remarks, you will not see that this time, you're not going to see a televised audience. That is pretty uncommon. There has been different formats, I would say between I keep going back to that 2000 to 2020. But that's really how it's evolved the most in that time period, you've seen town halls where people are asking directly the candidates. You've seen them seated, and then asking questions, you've seen them standing and they kind of work the room to have no audience, I think is going to be really interesting. Is it as dynamic is it not as as dynamic? Is it more dynamic, you'll see also to commercial breaks. This is this is a break from the past, there has not been typically corporate advertisements between them. But there will be two commercial breaks during that time period, candidates will not be able to engage with their staff kind of regroup like they had. Maybe in the past, if there was a you know, small break, you'll see no notes, they're not allowed to bring any notes up to the stage, they'll just have basically like a notepad, a pen, a bottle of water on stage, but no props are written notes will be allowed. That's kind of a departure from the past, because you'll see some times a briefing book that presidential candidates will have and they can kind of flip to their different talking points or their different messages that they want to make sure that they get across for, for the people. I think no matter how you feel about this election, and look, I know there's a lot of debate about where we are, where you're at, in this country. I really encourage you to listen to tonight's debate. It is late. It is 9pm Eastern time. If you're on the West Coast, man, you're so lucky. 9pm is past my bedtime. But I encourage you to watch it, I encourage you to watch the full thing. Because you know the following day, there'll be the clips, but you got to see everything in context. And if I've taught him a dodgy nothin, I think there's so much more to the story, then those 32nd clips are the crimes you see on TV. And so I really encourage you to watch it. I know, it can sometimes you like I know who I'm going to vote for. But it's important that we have an understanding of what the other side or what the other party has, you know, holds true and holds their beliefs. And we need to be a better country and disagreeing without being disagreeable. And I think that's hard sometimes. But debates are a good thing. We live in a country where we are able to debate our ideas and isn't that isn't that's quite something. So I hope you'll learn a little bit about the history of the debates, how they have changed over time based on media based on public engagement. I hope you've learned a little bit about the rules of the road tonight. May there be no opening statements, the muting of mics and commercial breaks. I hope you watch tonight's debate and full if you don't watch it, you know tonight if you watch it tomorrow, or over the weekend or over the next few weeks, I really encourage you to watch it, put it on the background, listen to it, understand what the other side's has even if you've already made your decision on which presidential candidate you'd like to support on November 5. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of The on the Hill podcast. As always, you can tune in each Thursday where I break down what's happening in Washington or something interesting about our US government.
I hope you'll find me on Instagram. The podcast handle is on the Hill DC podcast where I share more about what I'm working on what I'm working on and on the episode. If you ever want to find my Instagram, it's at Katherine Getty where I share more about myself off and what I'm doing in Washington DC and beyond. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I hope you like and subscribe. That means so much when you like and subscribe because it not only kind of bumps it up in the podcast, but it also ensures that each Thursday you will have an episode they're ready for you to listen to. Thank you can't say thank you enough. Have a great week.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai