Dear Editor,
Whether those involved in frontline politics have realized it or not, the political landscape in The Bahamas has changed. With the proliferation of the Internet and international television, the new Bahamian voter is different from the voter of the past, even the last election. Through Facebook, YouTube, television houses like CNN, FOX News, etc., Bahamians can get any news in the world on their smartphones, tablets or laptops instantly and live. Most of the new Bahamian voters will not attend political rallies. They want to be able to in the comforts of their homes, or anywhere else for that matter, see their leaders outline their platforms for the upcoming elections electronically or digitally. This way, people in Inagua, Mayaguana, Cat Island, Long Cay, Abaco, Grand Bahama or New Providence, for example, can simultaneously view the candidates and the party leaders.
In the United States the first general election presidential debate was held on September 26, 1960, between U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy, the Democratic nominee, and Vice President Richard Nixon, the Republican nominee, in Chicago at the studios of CBS' WBBM-TV. "Television primes its audience to rely more on their perceptions of candidate image (e.g., integrity). At the same time, television has also coincided with the world becoming more polarized and ideologically driven" (Hayes, p. 235).
No general election debates at all were held for the elections of 1964, 1968 and 1972, although intra-party debates were held during the primaries between Democrats Robert F. Kennedy and Eugene McCarthy in 1968, and between Democrats George McGovern and Hubert Humphrey in 1972.
It was not until 1976 that a second series of televised presidential debates was held during the general election campaign season. On September 23, 1976, Democratic candidate Jimmy Carter and Republican incumbent President Gerald Ford agreed to three debates (one on domestic issues, one on foreign policy, and one on any topic) on television before studio audiences. A single vice presidential debate was also held that year between Democratic Senator Walter Mondale and Republican Senator Bob Dole.
The dramatic effect of televised presidential debates was demonstrated not only in 1960, but again in the 1976 debates between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter. Ford had already cut into Carter's large lead in the polls, and was generally viewed as having won the first debate on domestic policy. Polls released after this first debate indicated the race was even. However, in the second debate on foreign policy, Ford made what was widely viewed as a major blunder when he said, "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration." After this, Ford's momentum stalled, and Carter won a very close election.
Debates were a major factor again in 1980. Going into the debate, Jimmy Carter had a narrow lead over Ronald Reagan in a race considered 'too close to call'. Reagan, with years of experience in front of a camera as an actor, came across much better than Carter and was judged by voters to have won the debate by a wide margin. This translated into Reagan turning a close election into a landslide victory.
Since 1976, each presidential election has featured a series of vice presidential debates. Vice presidential debates have been held regularly since 1984. Vice presidential debates have been largely uneventful and have historically had little impact on the election. Perhaps the most memorable moment in a vice presidential debate came in the 1988 debate between Republican Dan Quayle and Democrat Lloyd Bentsen. Quayle's selection by George H. W. Bush was widely criticized; one reason being his relative lack of experience. In the debate, Quayle attempted to ease this fear by stating that he had as much experience as John Kennedy did when he ran for president in 1960. Democrat Bentsen countered with the now famous statement: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."
The year 1992 featured the first debate involving both major-party candidates and a third-party candidate, billionaire Ross Perot, running against President George H. W. Bush and Governor Bill Clinton. In that year, Bush was criticized for his early hesitation to join the debates with him being alluded to as a chicken. Furthermore, he was also criticized for looking at his watch which aides initially said was meant to track if the other candidates were debating within their time limits, but ultimately it was revealed that the president indeed was checking how much time was left in the debate.
Moderators of nationally televised presidential debates have included Bernard Shaw, Bill Moyers, Jim Lehrer and Barbara Walters, and recently Bret Baier and George Stephanopoulos among others.
I stand to be corrected but I don't know that there was ever a nationally televised debate between the leaders of the major political parties here in The Bahamas. The last televised debate, moderated by Wendall Jones of Jones & Co. (who is to be commended for his fortitude in pushing for this debate) was between the candidates in the famous Elizabeth by-election, which ended up in the Election Court with Ryan Pinder of the PLP coming out on top. I believe that it was a grave political mistake for Dr. Duane Sands not to participate in the Elizabeth debate and that he would have fared much better had he did.
There should be at least two debates between the leaders of the political parties - one on New Providence and the other Grand Bahama. We should be careful not to exclude any leader of any party running in the upcoming elections to be fair to all. The venue for the debates should be at the leading convention centers on the mentioned islands with an audience of voters on a strict first come first serve basis. These properties should view this as their contribution to nation building as good corporate citizens. Police presence goes without saying to keep the peace and to ensure that the debates are not unduly interrupted and are kept safe and professional. The world would be watching. Colored lights resembling traffic lights should be installed to aid the candidate as to the time left with green indicating 30 seconds, yellow indicating 15 seconds and red indicating only five seconds are left. If necessary, a buzzer may be used or a flag. The moderators should be anchors from the major media houses including Wendall Jones, Shenique Miller, Jerome Sawyer and Candia Dames, for example.
The debates should be two hours long with four five-minute or two five-minute and one ten-minute break. The candidates should be standing behind their podiums with the moderators seated on the other side. The moderators should ask the questions allowing each candidate two minutes to respond and others one minute to respond or rebut. There should be no opening statements, just closing statements. The questions should be on issues that are pertinent to the voters, e.g. the economy, Atlantis, jobs, crime, immigration and education. The candidate should agree to the rules beforehand.
The candidates in each constituency should also have a chance to debate the issues on a smaller scale but also televised nationally. I agree with Wendall Jones when he said that if a candidate is not willing to participate in a nationally televised debate and put forth his and his party's position on the issues, then he or she is not worthy to be a candidate.
The time has come for a more mature discussion by our political leaders on the issues impacting not only the electorate, but all the people of our beloved country and generations to come. We cannot underestimate the importance of this upcoming election. After the debates the new Bahamian voter will be more informed as to who to cast his ballot for on that great election day. And as they say, let the proverbial chips fall where they may.
May God be with us all.
- Pastor Mark Smith
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