A small number of undecided voters in the US can be consequential in the outcome of an election, especially in a close race, according to Dr Mitchell S McKinney, professor of Communication and director of the Political Communication Institute at the University of Missouri.
“Still, these debates have a wide reach, and a small number of "undecided" viewers do use the debate to make their candidate choice,” he told reporters participating in the first-ever Virtual Reporting Tour (VRT) of the US and the American electoral process.
The US Department of State, in collaboration with Meridian International Centre, organised this eight-week programme for more than 225 journalists (including those from the Middle East) to cover the US elections 2020 remotely.
McKinney, who served as an adviser to the US Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), was speaking at a VRT press briefing on Monday on the ‘Role of the Debates’ in the US presidential elections.
“Many historians and others argue that John Kennedy's superior debate performance (over Richard Nixon) in 1960 contributed to his election (and the Kennedy-Nixon was a very close election decided by a small margin),” he noted.
“Ronald Reagan's debate performance in 1980 was seen as very strong and allowed him to pull ahead of the incumbent president Jimmy Carter and go on to win by a rather wide margin,” McKinney added.
During the briefing, he highlighted the importance of debates in “reinforcing the choice of candidates individuals are already supporting.”
“Most debate viewers tune in to cheer on their candidate - much like viewers of a football game tune in to cheer on their team.”
About choosing Ohio, Florida, and Tennessee as the locations for the debates, McKinney pointed out that the CPD often selects the sites in battleground states.
“There's much greater attention on these states by the candidates, and therefore the candidates are eager to spend time in these states (taking part in a debate in the state makes it more convenient for candidates to host campaign rallies and otherwise campaign in the state),” he said.
“The CPD will also grant debates to universities who compete to host these debates and are willing to put up the several million dollars needed to secure a debate (such as Belmont University in Nashville, TN). A debate will bring a great deal of media attention to the host university,” added McKinney, whose work was instrumental in developing the presidential Town Hall debate and other innovations in the structure and practice of televised presidential debates in the US.
The first debate of the general election between US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden was held Tuesday at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
About the two Presidential candidates, McKinney said that Trump is very good at attacking, creating conflict and drama, and often blaming others – a strategy which may divert attention away from matters he may not wish to address in the debate.
Biden has “a much less aggressive style, often expressing empathy, care and concern for citizens and their struggles in life,” he noted.
“The contrast between these two individuals, particularly their communication styles, is stark. Biden may run the risk in these debates of seeming overwhelmed or too low energy if he is not sufficiently strong or able to respond aggressively to Donald Trump,” McKinney said.
The US Department of State, in collaboration with Meridian International Centre, organised this eight-week programme for more than 225 journalists (including those from the Middle East) to cover the US elections 2020 remotely.
McKinney, who served as an adviser to the US Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), was speaking at a VRT press briefing on Monday on the ‘Role of the Debates’ in the US presidential elections.
“Many historians and others argue that John Kennedy's superior debate performance (over Richard Nixon) in 1960 contributed to his election (and the Kennedy-Nixon was a very close election decided by a small margin),” he noted.
“Ronald Reagan's debate performance in 1980 was seen as very strong and allowed him to pull ahead of the incumbent president Jimmy Carter and go on to win by a rather wide margin,” McKinney added.
During the briefing, he highlighted the importance of debates in “reinforcing the choice of candidates individuals are already supporting.”
“Most debate viewers tune in to cheer on their candidate - much like viewers of a football game tune in to cheer on their team.”
About choosing Ohio, Florida, and Tennessee as the locations for the debates, McKinney pointed out that the CPD often selects the sites in battleground states.
“There's much greater attention on these states by the candidates, and therefore the candidates are eager to spend time in these states (taking part in a debate in the state makes it more convenient for candidates to host campaign rallies and otherwise campaign in the state),” he said.
“The CPD will also grant debates to universities who compete to host these debates and are willing to put up the several million dollars needed to secure a debate (such as Belmont University in Nashville, TN). A debate will bring a great deal of media attention to the host university,” added McKinney, whose work was instrumental in developing the presidential Town Hall debate and other innovations in the structure and practice of televised presidential debates in the US.
The first debate of the general election between US President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden was held Tuesday at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
About the two Presidential candidates, McKinney said that Trump is very good at attacking, creating conflict and drama, and often blaming others – a strategy which may divert attention away from matters he may not wish to address in the debate.
Biden has “a much less aggressive style, often expressing empathy, care and concern for citizens and their struggles in life,” he noted.
“The contrast between these two individuals, particularly their communication styles, is stark. Biden may run the risk in these debates of seeming overwhelmed or too low energy if he is not sufficiently strong or able to respond aggressively to Donald Trump,” McKinney said.
