Image Politics, Polling & the Partisan Divide: Debates

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Debates – Tuesday, October 11th (Blog #6)

Imagine you are the debate coach hired by your candidate’s campaign. What debate strategies would you recommend your candidate follow? Which previous presidential candidates should they look to as examples of best debate practices that they should emulate? Which previous candidates made mistakes which they should learn from and avoid? Finally, what does your candidate need to do for their debate performance to help, and not hurt, their campaign? You must use the Trent et al and “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater” readings posted on Blackboard plus a third article you find on your own related to your candidate.

43 comments:

Michael SingerOctober 6, 2022 at 2:54 PM
If I was hired by the Oz campaign the number one strategy, I would say for Oz is to lower expectations. In the excerpt “Debates in Political Campaigns” Trent, J. in the book “Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practice,” she says that “The candidate who is perceived to have won the debate is often a function of what people expected. Hence, many candidates seek to lower public expectations of their performance. If prior expectations are low, then it may not take a strong effort on the part of the candidate to appear to have done well” (Trent 2011). In the case of Dr. Oz, there aren’t a lot of people that know what to make of him. This is the case for many Republicans who are major pro-Trump supporters. Oz isn’t completely an election denier, and he isn’t a “regular Republican” that is anti-abortion and what not. The bar is low and the expectations for Oz are low since we have seen him be trolled on Twitter and Instagram by his opponent, John Fetterman.
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Franco MorganteOctober 7, 2022 at 7:32 PM
In the coming weeks, John Fetterman and Dr. Oz will meet to engage in a televised debate. While Fetterman previously wasn’t clear if he would debate, it's clear that he has a specific reason to finally agree to this. This strategy is illustrated in the book Political Campaign Communication by Judeth S. Trent, she writes “No candidate willingly engages in counterproductive activity. Consequently, both candidates must have good reason to expect that the debates will be advantageous to them” (Trent, page 7). Fetterman must think that engaging in debate with Oz can help his campaign. I think that it's mainly to show that even after his stroke, he is still competent and fit to be in the senate. This is also highlighted as the Oz campaign has advocated for accommodations to help Fetterman with the fast pace of a televised debate. According to an article from WESA, “It (Oz campaign)wants a moderator to tell the audience that Fetterman is using closed captioning to explain delays in his responses; practice sessions to not use actual debate questions; and the debate to be 90 minutes, instead of 60, because of closed captioning delays” (Levy, paragraph 12). While the existence of these accommodations do seem to be so Fetterman and Oz are on equal footing. I think because the Oz campaign is advocating for them, it could be a part of their debate strategy. It's very possible that Fetterman’s health could be the centerpiece of the debate. It’s an issue that can be very difficult for Fetterman to address. It wouldn’t be smart for him to just keep saying his fine, when even in his recent public appearances it's clear that he is still recovering from his stroke. He should be as transparent as possible on his current health status. At the same time he shouldn’t just take the attacks that Oz may throw at him. I think he can take a page from Bill Clinton’s strategy he came up with in the 80’s. According to an article from Politico, Clinton said “When someone is beating you over the head with a hammer, don’t sit there and take it,” then-Gov. Clinton told Time magazine. “Take out a meat cleaver and cut off their hand” (Zenilman and Smith, paragraph 8). This strategy was also used by Barack Obama in 2008 which let him win the democratic primaries and later the presidency. If Fetterman can show that he can effectively fight back, it could remedy any worries of him being unfit to be in the senate. As highlighted by an article from insider “A presidential candidate's charisma often far outweighs his or her knowledge of policy when it comes to performing well in a debate” (Haltiwanger, paragraph 3). For Fetterman he practically doesn’t need to worry about policy issues, he just needs to show that his stroke won’t impact his ability to do his job. The debate is potentially the biggest obstacle to John Fetterman's campaign, but it could also be what he needs to push himself over the finish line.
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AnonymousOctober 7, 2022 at 9:03 PM
Blog 6
If I were a debate coach for John Fetterman’s campaign, I would recommend he should stick to an overarching theme that can appeal to most of an audience. I say this because generally debates attract a lot of people and can be people’s first foray into a candidate’s demeanor and policies. Chapter 8 of Political Campaign Communication: Principles & Practices: Debates in Political Campaigns, talks about why it is important to determine your audience. They say that candidates must choose between maintaining the audience they have built up already or changing their strategy to incorporate other audiences (Trent et al). This applies especially to Fetterman as his campaign has strongly depicted him as a populist figure (in regard to his policies and appearance). It might be hard for him to balance both audiences so I think he should stick to topics such as the economy when it comes to debating. Maybe he can use Braddock as an example, of how he can make economic reform.
I would also like to advise Fetterman on not doing debates or at least choosing the conditions wisely due to his recent stroke. While Fetterman’s opponent, Mehmet Oz, uses his health issues as an argument for why he is not fit for office, I think charging ahead on a debate is playing right into Oz’s hands. So far, Fetterman and Oz have agreed to one debate in late October which seems fine as it gives more time for Fetterman to recover from his stroke and prepare. Looking at other debates, I think Fetterman can take some notes from Kennedy and Nixon. Kennedy and Nixon prove that appearance matters. John Fetterman is an imposing figure, and it would be a missed opportunity to not capitalize on it. But instead of making him look scary, I think making him look strong would be better. Instead of dressing in a sweatshirt and shorts like he normally does, maybe putting on something more business casual. I suggest this because while wanting to distinguish himself from other politicians, it would look extremely out of place to have his usual dress worn up on a debate stage with Oz being most likely in a suit. Striking a balance in the middle might be the way to go as he can appeal to his original target audience and still look presentable. A pair of khakis or dark jeans and a button-down could go a long way in improving his appearance for a debate. As for mistakes previous candidates have made that he should take note of is Gore and Bush. Gore was very aggressive and patronized Bush during their debate and according to his own campaign team he lost on mannerisms and the takeaway (Haltiwanger). John is very aggressive on social media, and I don’t think this would translate into a debate unless your name is Donald Trump. Not to mention, the possibility of him stumbling over his words due to his stroke wouldn’t help.
To prepare for this debate, Fetterman needs to make sure he is ready to respond to questions about his health. He also needs to focus on his policies that affect most people in Pennsylvania like the economy. Fetterman should as capitalize on Oz’s reluctance to declare his stance on things like abortion. Finally, needs to make sure he has accommodations for him as not having any will prove Oz’s claim of Fetterman hiding his health problem (AP News). I think it would be better to embrace it as it is another topic Fetterman can spin on Oz.

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Katie LangleyOctober 8, 2022 at 11:11 PM
Florida Senate Candidates Representative Val Demings and Senator Marco Rubio are set to face off in a debate Oct. 18 as Rubio leads Demings by four points, according to a Suffolk University poll (Johansen, 2022, para. 22-3.) In order to raise her polling numbers, Demings must appear to come out on top of the debate. To do this, her team should prepare as much as possible by minimizing expectations and rehearsing possible debate questions, answers and topics. They also will need to develop a concrete image of her as a candidate and leader. Deming’s debate answers should relate to her image and return to the overall theme, or thesis, of her argument, which should outline why Florida needs a change of pace from Rubio (Trent et. al, 2011, pp. 9-19.)
First, since Demings is currently trailing in the polls, her team needs to lower expectations around how she will do in the debate. This may sound bad, but as Trent et. al (2011) point out, candidates need to “capitalize on a strong performance and rationalize for a weak one” in order to appear to the public like they “won” their debates (pp. 10.) Demings should avoid the strategy that Gore used against Bush in the 2000 presidential race when he went on talk shows calling upon Bush to debate him and presenting himself as the better debater. When the two did finally debate, this backfired on the Gore team and played out well for Bush. While Gore’s campaign had built him up to unmanageable expectations, those who were watching Bush were pleasantly surprised when he delivered better results than they thought he would (Trent et. al, 2011, pp.10.) Though Demings is known to call Rubio out for issues like not showing up to congress and not keeping Florida safe with gun control laws, she should not assume that she will do better than Rubio in the debates or boast about her debating skills on social media or TV.
Instead, she should follow the example of Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign against McCain (pp.10) and keep expectations low so that her performance cannot be seen as a failure. Also, she should take one out of McCain’s playbook and challenge Rubio to debates in town-hall environments (pp. 11.) This shows that she is the candidate for the people and is willing to approach them in their spaces and answer their questions. This narrative goes along with the narrative that Demings layed out when she said in September that Rubio is not comfortable going out in diverse communities and only goes into scripted environments (Scheckner, 2022, para. 5-6.) By challenging him to debates in diverse communities, Demings will underscore the idea that she is the peoples’ candidate and Rubio is not.
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Katie LangleyOctober 8, 2022 at 11:12 PM
In order to appeal to people as the down-to-earth candidate, Trent et. al (2011) write that politicians like Demings must develop an “activist leadership style,” focusing on their actions and events (pp. 15.) In contrast, the Demings campaign would be smart to show Rubio as having a “passive leadership style”; as being too cautious and only responding to events when they come instead of being proactive and motivated by change and the betterment of the state (pp. 15-16.) We’ve already seen Demings support this image in many ways. For example, Demings recently criticized Rubio for saying that he would vote down a hurricane relief bill that includes extra provisions that he does not agree with. “Short-term patches and band-aids during election years are not sufficient to protect Florida’s homeowners,” Demings said in a statement last week (Roarty and Ocasio, 2022, para. 18-20.) Demings presented herself as a strong leader and Rubio as a partisan who will not make decisions to protect Floridians. As Rubio continues to attack her for “(pushing) her radical agenda,” the Demings team needs to really focus in on Deming’s middle-ground stance and appeal to all Floridians. They need to cut through the narrative that she is a far left politician as much as possible and focus on talking points many Floridians agree on, such as hurricane relief, safer streets and equal rights, in the upcoming debate.
In general, the themes that Demings should focus on in the debate are that Rubio doesn’t work for Florida (she will be the candidate of change) and that Demings will keep Florida safe with her extensive police force experience. It is important to return to these themes throughout the debate and shape questions so that you can once again push your agenda because your most important points from your opening or thesis statement should be what the audience remembers from the debate, if nothing else (Trent et. al, 2011, pp. 15.) Like Obama during his first presidential run, she should paint herself as “good for Main Street” while her opponent is only “good for Wall Street” (pp.15.) In addition, I think that Demings should keep her target audience in mind when preparing to take the debate stage. Since college-educated people and women are more likely to watch televised debates (pp.12), Demings should especially appeal to women and talk about the issues of abortion and the right to choose.
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Anya S GrondalskiOctober 9, 2022 at 12:54 PM

John Fetterman finally agreed to a debate against Dr. Oz to take place on October 25. Oz has “hammered on the issue, questioning Fetterman’s ability to debate after he suffered a stroke in May”, initially saying he wanted to debate five times before the midterms (Ward). Before agreeing to debates, both campaigns, but especially John Fetterman's, had to consider the six questions outlined by (Trent et al). Public opinion polling has demonstrated that the race is close, and a debate would be a benefit to Oz because he has leverage between his opponent’s stroke and his own television background. The question of if either are good debaters is yet to be answered. And the field is wide open, completely clear of incumbents.

There are a series of conditions that make up the scheduled debate that are complicated by Fetterman’s state of health. After asking for accessibility resources and debate rehearsals, Oz’s campaign outlined an array of conditions if they were to accept the requested aid. The moderator would have to explain to audiences that Fetterman was using closed-captioning, that practice debates do not include real debate questions, and that the debate be extended to 90 minutes (Ward). There’s strategy behind each and every request, no matter how seemingly “reasonable”. The time extension is meant to catch Fetterman at an inopportune moment, as he’s been sticking to brief public appearances since the stroke. Being forced to disclose the use of closed-captioning will make Fetterman appear weak/handicapped. To be successful, Oz will have to capitalize on these traps and play up his television persona. For years, he’s been a likable and well-known personality from his talk show that ran for 13 seasons. Both Reagan and Trump demonstrated in their debates that this type of career experience can be a huge advantage if used strategically (Haltiwanger). Additionally, Oz should use his doctor charms and play up his humor. It will be hard to match Fetterman’s playful use of pop-culture and memes in an in-person, confrontational setting. Oz should be weary of falling like Ford, and making some statement that he can’t turn back from (Haltiwanger). His position as a republican is far more delicate than Fetterman’s as a democrat because of Trumpism and his lacking political experience. Oz is playing to many more teams, trying to pull undecided voters, traditional Republicans, and MAGA extremists even though each of these blocs have different positions. As is discussed in chapter eight titled “Debates in Political Campaigns”, today’s debates are media-oriented (Trent et al). Playing to the cameras and acting with the understanding that journalists and spectators everywhere will be ready to eat up whatever Fetterman and Oz bring to the table will make or break each candidates’ presentation.

Haltiwanger, John. “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here Are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 28 Sept. 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/presidential-debates-memorable-moments-political-theater-2019-9.

Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Priciples & Practices, 7th ed. Roman & Littlefield, 2011.

Ward, Myah. “Fetterman Campaign Agrees to Oct. 25 Debate with Oz.” POLITICO, 14 Sept. 2022, https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/14/fetterman-campaign-agrees-to-debate-oz-00056741.
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Ryan BusilloOctober 10, 2022 at 12:43 AM
For John Fetterman, the best pre-debate strategy is to lower the public’s expectations to the floor. This is because “if a candidate is expected to be outclassed but does well, it may be perceived as a major victory,” (Trent, 9). Based on Dr. Oz’s television experience and Fetterman’s ongoing stroke recovery, it is likely Fetterman performs poorly in their October 25th debate. If surrogates on major networks and cable news set the narrative in the coming weeks that due to Oz’s experience and Fetterman’s recovery he will be dominated. By creating this expectation in viewers’ minds, anything but Fetterman falling flat on his face will be at least neutral to his campaign. Though the impact of debates on voters’ thoughts is dubious, a total collapse would still be detrimental. This course of action is far from ideal; however, is a nessicary measure to take to preserve Fetterman’s extremely narrow lead. This is not to say that Fetterman should ensure that he is prepared to answer tough questions. That preparation can only go so far when someone is recovering from a stroke. During the debate, Fetterman should hammer home the same
In the same way, he has coopted his social media trolling, Fetterman should look to former President Trump as an example for his debate strategy. As John Haltiwanger notes, “Trump proved that you don't have to be the most polished person on the stage to win in the end,” (Haltiwanger). If Fetterman can channel his social media trolling of Oz into the debate, the same way Trump was able to, it could help him seem more real than Oz. This specific style of humor is unique to Trump in presidential debate history and using in the context of a senate debate could replicate the effect Trump saw: total demolition of his primary opponents. Fetterman should be careful to not use his large figure to intentionally intimidate Oz. This strategy seems to never work, such as Al Gore in 2000 or Trump in 2016. Both attempts made the men look strange and domineering. Fetterman has the height advantage as it is. Playing into it too much will do him no good. Simply letting it happen in the background of viewers’ minds is more than enough to activate our primal urge for the tallest person in the room to be our leader.
To ensure this debate helps, not hurts his campaign, Fetterman must address the health issue. This issue is being harped on by the Oz campaign and maybe be driving his surge in recent weeks. Harnessing this issue, playing for sympathy, and then turning it on Oz for weaponizing it is a surefire strategy to not just work to neutralize his biggest weakness but use his opponent’s handling of it as a line of attack.
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AnonymousOctober 10, 2022 at 12:19 PM
Piascik Blog 6
Within the next week, Raphael Warnock and Heschel Walker are set to engage in a televised debate in Savannah, Georgia (Barrow). Although the candidates have been apprehensive to debate, they have finally agreed and with Georgia voters favoring Walker in the polls it appears they have decided in order to further or change that divide. According to Debates in Political Campaigns, “A debate is a (1) confrontation, (2) in equal and adequate time, (3) of matched contestants, (4) on a stated proposition, (5) to gain an audience decision,” (Trent et al.) This act can also be an important display of how well a candidate can handle the spotlight and think on their feet. It can also be more about the presentation of a candidate rather than the substance of what they are conveying. According to John Haltiwanger, “Style typically matters more than substance in debates. President Donald Trump repeatedly proved that by wiping the floor with his opponents in presidential debates during the 2016 campaign season. He tapped into his skill as an entertainer and focused more on making the audience laugh with insults and quips than offering in-depth takes on the issues” (Haltiwanger). This could be a beneficial strategy for Warnock because he is a very likeable person with a powerful persona, he just has to use his charm to captivate the audience over Walker.
I believe that Herschel Walker has been extremely cocky in his ability to beat Warnock in both the debates and the overall election. I believe it would be in Warnock’s best interest to lower his public expectations and rise to the occasion while his opponent heightens public expectation and falls under the pressure. According to Debates in Political Campaigns, “The candidate who is perceived to have won the debate is often a function of what people expected. Hence, many candidates seek to lower public expectations of their performance. If prior expectations are low, then it may not take a strong effort to appeal to have done well” (Trent et al). I also believe that Warnock needs to define his target audience as the homegrown Georgian population. He relates to those people, he has a connection to them, he is one of them. However, he also needs to add targeted groups that may swing the election. For instance, he could try to appeal to a voter demographic that may have some vested interest in the issues he is passionate about. Once he determines that target audience it makes it easier to work out possible answers to questions and practice them.
I believe that Raphael Warnock should capitalize on his reverend career, which allows to him to connect with people in ways that his opponent may not understand. He understands people because he connects with them constantly, it is a matter of bringing that reverend persona to the larger screen to captivate a larger audience. According to Debates in Political Campaigns, “This image strategy is personification, or the effort of the candidate to personify a definite role” (Trent et al). Therefore, it would be easy for Raphael Warnock to portray himself as this activist figure because that was the occupation he previously held. Warnock should also use the strategy of identification, which according to Debates in Political Campaigns, “Is when debaters attempt to identify themselves with what they believe are the principal aspirations of their audience” (Trent et al). Since the debate is set out to be in Georgia, he needs to identify himself as an individual that cares about the welfare of the state of Georgia. Which he has already done through his campaign website and issues centered around the state, however, personifying that in person would be a huge advantage to his cause. He needs to appeal to the people as the down-to-earth candidate, which would require the activist leadership style strategy. According to Debates in Political Campaigns, “The activist consistently refers to their actions, initiatives, their effect on events” (Trent et al) in order to portray themselves as reacting to events.
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Palek SinghOctober 10, 2022 at 6:42 PM
Palek Singh

According to chapter 8 of Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices, “political debating is widespread in this country. It is almost a ritualistic aspect of campaigns for one candidate to challenge the other to a debate”(Trent at al). One of the debating strategies include relating issues to the overall theme. According to Trent et al., “as the debate progresses, candidates must constantly respond to specific questions on the issues of the day. While those issues vary from campaign to campaign, most successful political debaters have been able to integrate the specific issues into an overall framework.” Addressing specific issues can draw attention of the audience who find those topics important, and candidates may be able to get their vote from doing that. Another strategy is developing an image, “the principal image strategies that can be utilized in political debating include the development of a leadership style, personification, and identification.” I believe that maintaining a good image is important while debating because whatever a candidate says or does during the last few weeks before elections, can predict the outcome of it. For example, looking at the presidential debate in 2020, Trump’s behavior during the debate was not praised at all because he didn’t preserve his image and kept on interrupting Biden when he spoke. If Trump had maintained a respectful image during the debates, maybe he could’ve had a chance to win.

For Mehmet Oz, I recommend that he focuses on developing an image as well. Oz is good at highlighting specific issues like crime, however, to build his own image, he should talk about what he plans to do about these issues instead of criticizing his opponent Fetterman on those issues all the time. For example, Oz always attacks Fetterman for being soft on crime, he has said that “Fetterman wants to do away with life sentences for murderers”(Terruso). Instead of critiquing his opponent on this issue, he should be clear about how he plans on reforming the criminal justice system. I think this will cause voters to take him more seriously because they would see that he has a plan. Though Obama is a Democrat, I think he can serve as an example for Oz when it comes to developing an image. With his debate with McCain, Obama was successful in keeping an image. In his conclusion, “he made reference to three specific changes he would attempt to implement. They included tax cuts for the middle class, healthcare for all Americans, and college for every young person who wants to go”(Trent et al). If Oz also makes references to the changes he hopes to implement during the conclusion of his debates, I think that could be very beneficial for him. Though I am aware that Trump endorsed Oz, I don’t think Oz should follow in his footsteps when it comes to debate because it could really hurt him just like it did Trump. According to Business Insider, “a presidential candidate’s charisma often far outweighs his or her knowledge of policy when it comes to performing well in a debate”(Haltiwanger). Even though some of his policies may have been valid, I think most people can agree that Trump’s charisma didn’t show much during his debate with Biden in 2020, and that was one of the reasons why he didn't get his votes. Therefore, to be better than Trump, Oz should be a mature leader when it comes to debate. Accordingly, I believe that these debate performances will help Oz instead of hurt him.
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Amber ManginiOctober 10, 2022 at 8:24 PM
As the debate coach for Val Demings, I would recommend she personify a definite role to help develop and solidify her image. In chapter 8 “Debates in Political Campaigns” in the book Political Campaign Communication, the authors explained personification as a political strategy giving an example of the 2008 Senators race, “For example, the candidate may work to be perceived as a nice guy, an efficient manager, or a strong leader. In 2008 both Senators Obama and McCain sought to portray themselves as foreign policy experts. Because of his relative inexperience, and the fact that the nation had troops at risk in both Iraq and Afghanistan and was waging the war on terror, personifying himself as an expert on foreign policy was an especially important task for Obama. McCain’s years of experience in the Senate and his military background contributed to his stature in foreign policy” (Trent et al). They then went in to discuss how Obama's use of specific facts, statistics, and hindsight helped give the impression that he understood the foreign and military policy, which he was able to weaken McCain’s persona as a foreign and military policy expert and strengthen his own establishing himself as an expert. I think that Val Deming’s past wishy-washy views and morals have weakened her campaign, however, I believe if she sticks to one solid pressing issue and shows her knowledge and care about the issue voters will have more faith in her.
As an underestimated African American candidate, I think it would be best for Val Demings to look at Barak Obama’s debate practices and try to emulate them. The chapter “Debates in Political Campaigns expressed that Obama was unusually good at setting high expectations for his opponents and minimizing his own. In addition to this, Obama would have a life-size replica of the stage made to practice and build his confidence. He used the replica stage over a course of three days to perfect and practice his answers to possible questions. On the other hand, I think Val Demings should learn from and avoid the mistake President George Bush made in the 1992 debate. In the article “Unforgettable Presidential Debate Blunders” in CNN Politics, Nia-Maliha Henderson said, “As an audience member stood up to ask President George H.W. Bush about how the national debt had personally affected him, he checked his watch. And in that moment, he provided Bill Clinton an opening. He also gave viewers of the first presidential town hall the impression that he just didn’t care and that he had better things to do with his time. The Arkansas governor pounced, showing his rare gift of connecting with voters by approaching the questioner and painting a picture of a wrecked economy where her friends and neighbors had lost jobs. The debate echoed a New York Times headline months earlier that suggested he was out of touch with average voters” (Henderson). Val Demings needs to avoid appearing as though she does not care and has other things to do at all costs.
In order for Val Demings to help and not hurt her campaign, she needs to work on her debate performance. Specifically, the presentation of her views and morals. In the article “Presidential Debates Have Always been Political Theater. Here are some of their most Memorable Moments” in Insider, John Haltiwanger said, “Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Time in 2019 this set "the standard and creates the idea that debates are not simply about the substance, but also the presentation” (Haltiwanger). This was in reference to Kennedy’s use of makeup in the 1960 debate as he was said to look youthful and strong while Nixon looks gaunt and pale. However, going deeper than makeup, I think Val Demings needs to work on her presentation in the sense of seeming more confident and collected. If Val Demings presents her views in a more assistive way, more voters would be willing to put their trust in her to maintain the state of Florida.
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Melina MaldonadoOctober 10, 2022 at 9:42 PM
Donald Trump is known as a presidential candidate who entertained more in debates than educated. That means for Florida, his supporters will be looking at Marco Rubio to do the same and for Val Demings to be humiliated. In order for Demings to win over not only the Democrats but the Republicans of Florida and break the bipartisanship we see in America today, she needs to entertain and educate. The MAGA republicans that support Rubio need to be surprised by Demings and have their bias broken as she is not the liberal candidate that they assume she is. Demings needs to make her opinions heard while speaking in an uplifting tone like how she feels about abortion and giving more funds to the police. She needs to match tone of Rubio to win over the other side's attention since Florida is typically a red state.
I feel as if Demings has her strategies down on the issues she wants to talk about but she needs to entertain the crowd. As I said before, Florida is a red state full of MAGA republicans so following a debate practice from Trump would not hurt her. Although she is a democrat, Trump’s debates have been known to be memorable and it can be assumed that Rubio will follow his practices since Trump endorsed Rubio for reelection. If she talks about her issues, opinions, and what she is fighting for but in an entertaining way like Trump, I believe it will help her in Florida. As Business Insider has said, “Indeed, no candidate on the stage could outmatch Trump in showmanship, who used his experience as a reality TV star to his advantage.” (Haltiwanger, Business Insider).
The worst thing for Demings is to not show up for her debate like David Perdue in his debate with Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 2020 Senate runoff. I believe that the main thing Demings needs to do for her debate performance to help and not hurt her campaign is to develop her own image on stage that is going to hold the attention of her audience. She talks a lot about Florida changing for the better. Both McCain and Obama did this in their debates but had different imaging between them that led to Obama’s win. The authors of Political Campaign Communication: Principle & Practices write, “McCain provided few specific changes, other than reduced government taxing and spending. Obama was more specific in indicating the changes for which he would work, and to which he felt the nation aspired. Clearly, with the nation beset with a host of problems, both men tried to identify with the national desire for change.” (Trent et al, 19). To win, she needs to develop her own image of what change looks like.
Florida’s polls have been super close between Demings and Rubio. The debate coming up on October 18 is really going to show Florida who they need to vote for, especially after hurricane Ian. Intelligencer writes, “It is the only debate both candidates have reportedly agreed to so far, though neither has explicitly acknowledged that publicly.” (Kilgore, Intelligencer). We will see what happens next Tuesday.

References:
Haltiwanger, John. "Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here Are Some Of Their Most Memorable Moments.". Business Insider, 2022, https://www.businessinsider.com/presidential-debates-memorable-moments-political-theater-2019-9.
Kilgore, Ed. 2022, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/09/do-debates-really-matter-in-senate-races.html.
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles & Practices, 7th ed. Roman & Littlefield, 2011.
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AnonymousOctober 10, 2022 at 9:54 PM
Bella Baird
If I were to become a debate coach and were hired to work for Val Demings, my main goal would be to solidify her views and stance. Demings comes across as someone who will bend to the wind and will change her mind in an instant. In chapter 8 of “Debates in Political Campaigns” in Political Campaign Communication the authors explain, "more recent resurgence of interest groups designed to encourage and support women’s political ambition reveals another tack: filling the pipeline of candidates with women who traditionally have never considered running, or been asked to run, for office” (Trent et al). Demings has many advantages and disadvantages of being a woman in this race. Many women are being encouraged to run with the new progress that has been made in the system. The debates are about different global and nationwide issues, but it comes with a side of entertainment and fame. It is important to stay light and help the American people see who Val Demings is, or at least meet the woman we want her to be portrayed as. For example Ronald Reagan vs. Jimmy Carter debate, “After Carter delivered a lengthy and intricate monologue on healthcare, Reagan looked at him with a smile and said, "There you go again." Reporting on the debate at the time portrayed Carter as lacking a sense of humor and far too serious while Reagan was viewed as "calm and reasonable” (HaltiWanger). Although the topics being debated are important and should be taken seriously, it is important to keep it entertaining. The more drama or news that happens in the debates, more of an audience is gained.
Demings should show the audience that she is a sweet, strong retired police chief that is capable of guiding our country in the right angle. She needs to broadcast her experience in the force to bring light to the debate. Demings needs to be likable and fun to create loyal fans who will continue to watch her on television. Debates are “often billed as pivotal, momentum-changing events for the perceived winners and losers, presidential debates can end up being more spectacle than spotlight, and tend to be remembered more for candidate zingers and missteps than for significantly changing voter opinion” (Pazzanesee). I find this quote really demonstrates how debates are more about drama and juice than the issues itself. It is important for Demings to continue to do well to secure the lead. Showing her true self and highlighting her views would benefit Val Demings in the long run.
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AnonymousOctober 10, 2022 at 9:54 PM
Haltiwanger, John. “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here Are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments.” Business Insider, Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/presidential-debates-memorable-moments-political-theater-2019-9.
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Principles & Practices, 7th ed. Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.
Pazzanese, Christina. “Experts Offer Tips on What to Look for in Presidential Debate.” Harvard Gazette, Harvard Gazette, 28 Sept. 2020, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/09/experts-offer-tips-on-what-to-look-for-in-presidential-debate/.
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AnonymousOctober 10, 2022 at 10:32 PM
Charlie Windels Part 1
If I were a debate coach hired by Marco Rubio's campaign there would be many changes in his approach from his last debate performance back in the 2016 election. After reading an article titled Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments. by John Haltiwanger it was clear to me how important debates are for showing a candidate's passion and drive as well as personality. The article quotes “In reality, presidential debates are often little more than political theater, and largely an opportunity for candidates to show how well they can handle the spotlight and how good they are on their feet. A presidential candidate's charisma often far outweighs his or her knowledge of policy when it comes to performing well in a debate” (Haltiwanger). I think this is extremely important to consider when planning out strategies leading up to a debate. While there is still a focus on issues and how they will be addressed there is also a large emphasis on character which I feel is the main selling point in a debate.
For Marco Rubio, after looking back at a debate in New Hampshire in 2016 he received a lot of criticism and backlash. Despite being known as a fantastic public speaker, debates are much different and clearly, Rubio had a difficult time. In an article, I found on his 2016 debate they mention Rubio’s speaking points as “indirect and confusing, even to his staff. And standing on stage, trading rapid-fire barbs with Mr. Christie, he did not spot the trap that the governor had laid for him by warning the audience of Mr. Rubio’s robotic ways” (Peters, Barbaro). I think this is something Rubio can learn from and avoid in his upcoming debate. I think Rubio now understands what he needs to do differently after not being taken seriously. One thing Rubio did was he repeated himself a lot. While this can be good when touching on important topics it can also be seen as this emotionless, reading a script, type approach.
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AnonymousOctober 10, 2022 at 10:33 PM
Charlie Windels Part 2
In this upcoming debate with Val Demmings, Rubio must make some major adjustments. I think this starts with portraying his image more effectively. After reading a chapter on Debates in Political Campaigns I found there were many interesting ways in which a candidate can effectively demonstrate their image throughout a debate. The chapter mentioned three important aspects of candidate image which included leadership style, personification, and identification. Personally, after reading about each I think the one Rubio could most improve on is personification. The chapter quotes, “The second image strategy that lends itself to political debating is personification, the effort of the candidate to personify a definite role. For example, the candidate may work to be perceived as a nice guy, an efficient manager, or a strong leader” (Freidenberg, Denton). Overall I think this is something that not just Rubio, but many other candidates have struggled with in the past and ultimately determines whether their debate is effective or defective. If Rubio can work on his improvising skills and address issues while also showing personality then I think he will see success in his debate against Demmings.

Works Cited
Peters, Jeremy W., and Michael Barbaro. “How a Debate Misstep Sent Marco Rubio Tumbling in New Hampshire.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 10 Feb. 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/11/us/politics/marco-rubio.html.
Trent, Judith S., Robert V. Friedenberg, and Robert E. Denton, Jr. Political Campaign Communication: Priciples & Practices, 7th ed. Roman & Littlefield, 2011.
Haltiwanger, John. “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here Are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 28 Sept. 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/presidential-debates-memorable-moments-political-theater-2019-9.
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Will GavinOctober 10, 2022 at 10:39 PM
Since the mid-19th century political debates have become more and more common, driven by the success that Abraham Lincoln had in the 1958 presidential debates. While they weren’t the first American political debates, they were the definitive precursor to the modern debates as prior to 1958 they were more often press conferences or joint speeches(Trent et. al p. 1). However, while the Lincoln-Stepehn Douglas debates were the precursor, the definitive modern political debate is likely the 1960 presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and RIchard Nixon. As Trent et. al. wrote, political debates from (at least) the time of Kennedy-Nixon and beyond have not allotted enough time to deal with major public issues in a nuanced, precise way(p.2-3). Essentially, presidential and political debates are not really about the issues(although they can invoke errors of public perception), but the spectacle and image that the debates provide. One of the best examples of this is, again, the Kennedy-Nixon debate, which saw the youthful Kennedy take advantage of the television format to create a stronger image than the visibly sweating and gaunt Nixon(Hatiwanger).

If Dr. Mehmet Oz is going to defeat John Fetterman in the senate debates — he'll need to do a lot of preparation. Among most people Oz can be somewhat imposing with a somewhat broad frame and standing at six feet and one inch…but Fetterman is a mountain of a man, standing at six-foot-eight. This similar dynamic played out in the 2016 Clinton-Trump debates, most notably in the second presidential debate which saw Trump looming behind Clinton and following her like a shark smelling blood. A similar event happened in 2000, when Al Gore attempted to walk towards George W. Bush in what was seen as intimidation, but was laughed off by Bush — and the audience (Hatiwanger).

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Jennifer MogliaOctober 11, 2022 at 12:50 AM
Jennifer Moglia

The first debate strategy that I would recommend Herschel Walker follow would be determining the target audience of the debate. Oftentimes, the target audience for the debate is the same as the target audience for the campaign in general, but sometimes it isn’t that simple. (Trent et al) I think that, in this debate, Walker should be trying to keep his existing supporters rather than focusing on winning over people who will probably never be convinced to vote for him. Obviously, you always want to win over as many potential voters as you can, but for a candidate as polarizing as Walker, I think it will be more important to make sure that supporters are not swayed in the other direction, especially at the debate. For example, Walker has openly admitted that he does not think he is smart and that he thinks his opponent Raphael Warnock will make him look dumb during the debate; I think that he should stop making comments like this, because soon enough, his supporters may start to believe those sentiments and not vote for him.

The other strategy I would want Walker to focus on would be practicing answering questions with the target audience in mind. (Trent et al) He is known for making shocking comments and has gotten into some controversy as of late involving his family and his stance on abortion, so if he can basically script out what he is going to say and not do anything surprising, I think his team will consider it a win. I think he can succeed by doubling down on his existing beliefs to please his current supporters and not ruffling any feathers, not worrying about winning over anyone else during the debate. Expectations are low going in, so even if he does badly, it will probably be better than what everyone was expecting.

I definitely think that Walker can emulate some of Trump’s debate practices when he goes up against Warnock. In “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments.” by John Haltiwanger, the author says, “Trump proved that you don't have to be the most polished person on the stage to win in the end.” This quote in particular applies to the current Georgia senate race as well. Walker has certainly proven to not be very polished or formal, but if he can get the audience laughing and cheering the same way Trump did, using that “showman” style, he can certainly leave the debate relatively unscathed.

A mistake I think Walker should avoid making is using false information as evidence for his claims. Known as “The Blooper Heard Round the World,” President Gerald Ford claimed that the Soviet Union had no domination over eastern Europe and they never would, which was very untrue when his debate against Jimmy Carter was held in 1976, at the height of the Cold War. According to Haltiwanger, “a gaffe in a debate can contribute to a candidate's demise.” I could definitely see Walker reciting an incorrect fact like this during the debate and becoming a meme on Twitter once again, so he should definitely try to avoid that, potentially by scripting out his answers ahead of time as I mentioned earlier.
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Connor YoungbergOctober 11, 2022 at 12:54 AM
The Hershcel Walker and Raphael Warnock debate has had quite a history before it has even started. Walker didn’t want it to happen, but then he did, but then he didn’t. It is odd, but the debate is still going to happen on October 14th. If I was hired as Walker’s debate coach, I would have a tough task ahead of me, but not one that’s impossible.

One of the reasons Walker did not want to debate originally is because Warnock is inherently smarter than him. A big part of Walker’s campaign is the idea that he is not a politician, so it’ll be hard for him to hold his own in a debate against someone who is an experienced politician. Walker has already started to tell the media that Warnock is going to destroy him in a debate. In an article by Trent et al titled “Debates in Political Campaigns,” it says that campaigners tend to downplay their debate skills in case of a horrendous outcome. By minimizing these expectations, campaigners are putting themselves in a position to look great following a strong performance and to rationalize following a bad one. Walker has already begun minimizing expectations, however I do not think he is doing it effectively. Walker has been quoted by the media saying things like ‘I’m not that smart.’ Walker should not be saying anything that egregious, but I do think it is important for him to downplay the debate, because chances are, he will not perform well.

As Walker’s hypothetical debate coach, I would definitely show him past debates that he should be taking notes and learning from. One of the politicians I think Walker should try and emulate is Ronald Reagan. Something we have kind of hammered on about Walker’s campaign is the idea that he is just a football player, in-fact, it is most of his campaign strategy, According to an article by John Haltiwanger titled “Presidential debates have always been political theater. Here are some of their most memorable moments,” Haltiwanger touches on Reagan’s performance in the 1980 debate against Jimmy Carter. Reagan was a former actor and was a natural at debates due to his ability to win over crowds with his actor charm. Although Walker is clearly not as conversational and natural as Reagan, I think the idea of celebrity culture in debating is important. Walker has to be a football player and a personality. Walker has done more post-game interviews than any other politician ever, and he has to use that to his advantage.

A previous candidate he should avoid is Donald Trump. Although Walker is running on a Trump endorsement, he should steer clear of his debate style. In an article by Helaine Olen titled “The horrific debate shows exactly why Trump shouldn’t get a second term,” Olen describes Trump’s behavior in a debate against Joe Biden during the 2020 presidential election. The words she uses to describe Trump’s behavior are “rude, bullying and inappropriate.” Walker just does not have the personality for this kind of debate style, and although his team runs a lot of attack ads against Warnock, I think the best thing for him to do is be respectful during the debate.

This debate helping, and not hurting, Walker is a tough ask. Amidst all the dramatics and publicity, I do not see a future that does not have Walker in headlines for the wrong reasons. However, I would recommend he stays on the topic of politics for as long as he can. I wouldn;t be surprised if all of the dramatics surrounding Walker’s family lately gets brought up, but when it does I would make sure Walker has prepared statements that allow for him to move onto the next topic without drawing too much attention to himself. The best thing for Herschel Walker is to not be on the front page of every Georgia newspaper on October 15th.
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Cj BenedettiOctober 11, 2022 at 2:58 AM
Cj Benedetti

If I were Marco Rubio’s debate coach, the main thing I would do is to try and make him more confident off-script. Marco Rubio is known to be a good public speaker, but this is in cases where he has prepared his words, knows his talking points, and can keep his rhythm. In this case, Rubio needs to be prepared for another situation that occurred back in 2016 against Chris Christie. In this case, “Instead of answering the question put to him, he repeated the soundbite he had just uttered – a riff about Barack Obama having a deliberate plan to transform America. Christie pointed this out to the watching audience, Rubio doing exactly as he had described, retreating to the comfort zone of a well-rehearsed stump speech. Rubio promptly repeated the soundbite again.” (Freedland). While it is important to use sound bites, it can be a tried and true strategy as said by Haltiwanger, “Candidates who speak in soundbites tend to perform better than those who can bloviate complex topics, to put it another way, style typically matters more than substance in debates” (Haltiwanger). The problem here is that Chris Christie’s team did important research on Rubio and saw that he stuck to his soundbites and used this against him and pointed it out every time he used one. In this case, Christie out-styled Rubio.
To fix this problem, I would first coach Rubio on how to relate to an overall theme instead of using a single soundbite. By having an overall theme, candidates “will reinforce it in answers to as many specific questions as possible. Finally, they will return to it in their concluding statement” (Trent et al.). The key here is specific question answers then after relating it back to his theme. He will still give his answer on the topic and not repeat the same soundbite to avoid making the same mistake as he did with Christie. His answers will change and express his views, but he also has his rehearsed theme to fall back on to capitalize on the researched speech strength. Secondly, like Obama, I would have Rubio paint himself as an active member on Senate and speak on his accomplishments. As an incumbent, he can do this. “Obama’s use of hindsight, specific facts, and statistics contributed to the impression that he understood foreign and military policy” (Trent et al.). Rubio can take this strategy to show that he knows the needs of Floridians and has acted on them and that he will continue to act in their best interest.
This idea that he is an active member on Sentate, I believe is going to play a key role in this next debate. I suspect the Val Demings will slam him on not being active enough, or not caring about the floridian people enough. She has said “When police officers don’t show up to work, they get fired,” Demings, a Democrat, said in an ad posted on YouTube. “That’s how it should be for senators too. As chief, I showed up every day” (Morgan). Rubio will need to counter this, and then run ad’s after this debate using all soundbites possible of him explaining what he has done, and what his initiatives are for the people of Florida. Val Demings is going to come after him hard here because she also wants to be seen as active and there for Floridian people. Val Demings team will also do research and watch his old debates, a big prep strategy mentioned by Trent. So with this voting record of Rubio missing votes, and his “robotic” responses, it is imperative that Rubio changes to an overall theme and pushes an active imagine.

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Anna-Beth HayeOctober 11, 2022 at 8:48 AM
If I was hired as a debate coach for my candidate Raphael Warnock, my first suggestion would be to contemplate his tone and stature. Herschel Walker is a strong candidate with a big personality and already social status so in order to be at the same level as him you need to appear strong as well. He is a big man and can make anyone feel small which is why I suggest Warnock to speak firmly when he talks, make sure that he knows what he is talking about and has the proper facts to back up his statements. According to an article on Harvard Business Review states that “Being a good debater requires a mastery of facts and issues, and the ability to put them together in a coherent and convincing manner.It also calls for rapid adaptation of arguments and being fast on your feet…” (Ashkenas, 2012) This statement just proves that when in a debate knowing what you are talking about and sticking to it is so important. As well as speaking in a persuasive manner. A lot of people forget that the point of a debate is to persuade people to support you and often just focus on the rebuttals to the candidate. Warnock being a reverend needs to speak to persuade and in a way of togetherness. A great debate candidate that they should look at is Donald Trump. Given that Warnock is going against an entertainer as well it is best to study Donald Trump’s debate strategy to get the crowd and viewers engaged by him. As of now Warnock is somewhat boring, not many know about him or his personality so in this debate he needs to show that.In the text “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments” written by Haltiwanger, they speak on Donald Trump's wit and personality that helped him dominate the debate. Him insulting his opponents and cracking jokes on them held the entertainment factor to the debate which helped his campaign immensely. People watch these debates for entertainment purposes so therefore Warnock should give them such. In the excerpt “Debate in Political Campaigns” (Trent) “ Yet, as we have seen, contemporary media-oriented debates, regardless of what office is sought, are vastly different from earlier political debates. Although they typically involve matched candidates, they rarely if ever entail direct confrontation, equal and adequate time, one stated proposition, and a clear decision on the issues…” This statement expresses that a debate can be seen as entertainment and in recent years has been used as such so that candidates should act accordingly.

Haltiwanger, John. “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here Are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 28 Sept. 2020, https://www.businessinsider.com/presidential-debates-memorable-moments-political-theater-2019-9.
Ashkenas, Ron. “The Best Debater May Not Be the Best Leader.” Harvard Business Review, 7 Aug. 2014, https://hbr.org/2012/10/the-best-debater-may-not-be-th#:~:text=Being%20a%20good%20debater%20requires,a%20coherent%20and%20convincing%20manner.
Trent, Judith S., and Robert V. Friedenberg. “Debates in Political Campaigns.” Political Campaign Communication: Principles and Practices, 7th ed. CT, 2000, pp. 1–31.
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Alessia ScaturchioOctober 11, 2022 at 10:04 AM
My candidate Marco Rubio, is an excellent communicator. He is wonderful at letting the people of Florida know where he stands on political issues. Although he may be low-key, for this election season we want to make sure he is heard, and by doing so making sure he is a strong debater. Before determining debating strategies, according to the textbook it's important to ask the question “ Deciding whether to debate” (Trent , Judith, et al) before you go into a debate. The questions our campaign will be asking ourselves is, “ Is it likely to be a close debate? Are advantages likely to accrue, will I suffer if I don’t debate? Am I a good debater? Are there only two major candidates running for this office? Do I have control of all the important variables in the debate situation? And finally, Is the field clear of incumbents?” (Trent , Judith, et al) When accessing all these questions Marco rubio being an incumbent is going to be a great asset that helps propel him in the debate. He also has a seat on multiple senate committees so he can show the people of Florida what he is doing or what he has already done to help. Also, him being an incumbent and having run for president he is well aware of the intensity a debate stage can get and what types of questions he may be asked. His competitor Val Demmings, who may be doing well with fundraising, has never been asked to debate. Knowing all this information, its safe to say that it is a smart decision for Mr. Rubio to debate. These are what his strategies should be when entering the campaign and what some of his strategies shouldn’t be so the campaign does not get hurt. Rubio’s biggest weakness when it comes to debating is his memorization. According to an article “Marco Rubio was a disaster” this is referring to his presidential debates in 2016. Chris Christie in the article stated “ See, Marco, the thing is this: When you’re president of the United States, when you are a governor of a state, the memorized 30-second speech where you talk about how great America is doesn’t solve one problem for one person.” (Bouie) Rubio needs to make sure he has a good amount of notes entering the debate so he does not look like he is just memorizing scripted lines. This could end up hurting the campaign if it looks like he is not putting any effort towards the debate. One strategy that Rubio executes very well is his use of tone, volume and speed. According to an article written by SFU students, these three speaking qualities are very important for any candidate. Rubio’s speaking is a perfect representation of his campaign, it's very calm, cool, and collected. He really plays into his low-key persona well. Another strategy that Rubio is wonderful at showing is his excellent communication skills. He never lacks in proving that he is passionate and cares about certain issues.
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Ella DriscollOctober 11, 2022 at 11:26 AM

In an article I found titled, “How to Debate Trump” the authors mention when discussing the Hillary Clinton and Trump debate that, “if he plays the bull, she should be the bullfighter”. I think that is also fitting in regard to the Raphael Warnock and Hershel Walker race. I think it’s fair to assume that Walker will adopt a similar debate technique to Trump and in that instance, Warnock needs to stay composed. It never looks great when one candidate stoops to another candidate’s level if they begin attacking or using malicious words. I believe this is where Warnock has the upper hand.
One quote I found interesting and fitting to my candidate Raphael Warnock’s campaign states, “If one contestant is vastly brighter, more fluent, more poised, more knowledgeable, and better prepared, no real debate can take place” (Trent et al, 3). However, this is not to say that Hershel Walker is lesser in all the aspect mentioned above. It’s simply that Warnock is more seasoned as the incumbent senator in a majority of these aspects. Additionally, he has also developed a very poised demeanor having been a pastor for so many years.
When reading the “Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater” article one quote that stood out to me by Haltiwagner was that, “style typically matter more than substance in debates”. Warnock already has an established style, a calm, cool and collected demeanor. I think that if Warnock should try and emulate a former president’s debate style, one option would be Barack Obama. In an article from CNN, the author list one of Obama’s strengths to be detachment. The authors argue that “it’s one quality that made him seem so presidential in the debates”. They continue, “Obama didn’t take it personally when his policy ideas were attacked, and this helped build him convey strong character”. It seems that now more than ever politicians love to attack one another, especially as a result of the Trump era. However, this style doesn’t work for a majority of people and brings about a negative tone to the discussion.
To conclude, I think that Raphael Warnock has already established quality debate and speech giving techniques due to his incumbency and pastor duties. However, it is very easy to succumb to an opponent’s level. All we really recommend for our candidate is to keep his composure and try not to take an opponent’s attacks to personal. Like Obama, to try and detach from his policies and ideas.
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Jack SpiegelOctober 11, 2022 at 11:29 AM
Debates are some of the most important parts of a campaign for any political office. They are some of the most payed attention to parts of the campaign, and not entirely for the substance of the debate. In recent years, especially the 2020 debates, many people focused more on how Trump and Biden carried themselves.

For Business Insider, John Haltiwanger argues that “In reality, presidential debates are often little more than political theater, and largely an opportunity for candidates to show how well they can handle the spotlight and how good they are on their feet” (Haltiwanger). Like we saw in the first presidential debate of the 2020 election, there was very little substantive debate; and even if there was any, it was overshadowed by the constant barrage of personal insults and arguing.

If I were hired to be Herschel Walker’s debate coach, I would strongly tell him to stay on a very tight script. Walker had been known to go off on tangents and have many gaffes throughout his speaking. Thought it wouldn’t be off brand for him to do that at a debate, by deviating from his brand, it will help him to stand out against Warnock who is a very good orator. I would also set the expectation with Walker that Warnock will likely win this debate, and if he stays on course, he will meet the expectations that voters have for him.

Not only might he meet the expectations that voters have for him, he might exceed them. Walkers has propped up Se. Warnock’s debates skills, and downplayed his own, which is not. A new tactic. Judith Trent asserts, “In 2008, both the Obama and McCain campaigns attempted to maximize expectations on their opponent, and minimize expectations on their own candidate” (Trent). It’s almost as if Walker and his team read this verbatim and used it as one of their main talking points recently. MSNBC and many other outlets reported that walker said at an event, “ ‘I’m a country boy,’ the former football player said. ‘I’m not that smart. He’s a preacher. [Warnock] is smart and wears these nice suits. So, he is going to show up and embarrass me at the debate Oct. 14, and I’m just waiting to show up and I will do my best.’” (Benen).
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Mike LaRoccaOctober 11, 2022 at 11:35 AM
I am very excited for this Friday, October 14, 2022. This Friday, will be the debate between Georgia Senate Candidates Herschel Walker and Raphael Warnock, and I plan to watch every moment of it with my group. This is going to potentially be the make or break moment of the entire campaign for both sides. After weeks of arguing from both sides, the opponents agreed on the Oct. 14 date, and both sides truly need to have stellar performances by their standards if they want to wrangle in positive opinions for themselves.
When looking at how Walker should approach this debate with Warnock, the concept of “less is more” should be running through Walker’s head at all times. He should be trained to not speak during the debate unless he is absolutely sure about what he is saying. Despite being a folk legend in the state of Georgia, which is an advantage he holds, Walker has gotten himself into lots of trouble by saying things during interviews and rallies that do not make sense from an election perspective. An article from The Guardian put it best, saying, “That storied history seems to be enough for many Georgia voters to overlook his controversial, and often nonsensical, comments on everything from the pandemic to abortion access, which Warnock has seized on in his campaign ads” (Greve). The Walker team does not want him to end up like President Ford did during the 1976 Presidential Election, where he made a blatantly untrue statement, effectively losing him the election (Haltiwanger).
The person Walker should emulate his debate style after is Ronald Reagan during the 1980s. Walker has an undeniable sense of charisma surrounding him at all times. He can go in front of crowds, use his notoriety and handsome physique, and control the audience of his followers. As someone who does not have a horse in this senate race, I will admit that even I have been drawn in at times by Walker, whether what he’s saying was understandable or not. If he can go up on that stage this Friday and be himself, minus the nonsensical parts, he can probably win the crowd over from the more offensive-minded Warnock.
At the moment, for the debate to have a positive or neutral effect on Walker’s campaign, he will need to stay calm, stay coherent, and stick to the platform that has gotten him this far. He has stood for conservative family values, putting Georgia above all else, and supporting small business in the state. If he maintains those points with an overarching theme, he can probably hold firm in the polls. In the 2004 election, President Bush maintained that he knew how to lead a country through a crisis, whether people liked his decisions or not (Trent et al). That strategy eventually contributed to his victory in said election. If everything I have mentioned prior goes correctly, Walker should maintain his support from the Republican party, and possibly even pull some of the moderates to his side. Despite his current controversies, the public has had short memories in the past, and maybe it can work in Walker’s favor.
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AnonymousOctober 11, 2022 at 12:06 PM
By Mason Glod

Political debates have long had an unmeasurable impact on political communication, revealing strengths, weaknesses, and realities of candidates. My candidate John Fetterman will finally debate his opponent Mehmet Oz on Oct. 25, an event sure to have an intense and noticeable impact on the Senate race. Fetterman must be disciplined and focused in both debate preparation and execution to ensure his campaign and image remain strong.

First, Fetterman must have a strong pre-debate strategy. While it might seem that Fetterman may want to lower the public's expectations, I do not think that is necessary. Fetterman and Oz are two extremely different candidates who have consistently criticized each other during the race. Additionally, there are several other factors effecting this campaign including but not limited to Fetterman's health issues and Oz's dog scandal. Therefore, I do not think the public has any strong expectations going into this debate - I think this debate will generally set the public's image on the candidates in comparison to one another. Because of this, Fetterman should employ the devising and rehearsing possible answers strategy. As described by Judith Trent, Robert Friedenberg, and Robert Denton (2011), "the candidate and a limited number of aides should work through possible questions and answers, consistently keeping in mind overall themes and target audiences," (p. 13). Especially due to skepticism over Fetterman's health, Fetterman needs to have well-rehearsed and confident answers to reassure people that he is sound. Author Liz Plank (2022) further explains this in her piece "Why Fetterman's Senate campaign is a teaching moment greater than this election" saying, "This is a good opportunity to point out that the narrow concept of being 'fit to serve' in the way it’s being used in the Fetterman-Oz race is premised on a deep-rooted ableist definition of health that labels disability as invalidating" (p. 1). Fetterman needs to have well-rehearsed answers

Fetterman should use the developing an image strategy during the debate. Fetterman has developed an extremely strong image throughout the campaign, and this debate is a good time to continue this strategy. Once again, Fetterman can continue to develop this strong image in the debate creating a nice comparison between him and Oz. As for post-debate strategies, Fetterman should use audience members to project a positive view. Fetterman has projected himself as an everyday man, so getting an actual everyday man to vouch for him would be very beneficial.

Fetterman should really follow Obama's strategy in debating. Obama offered specific points and actions to support his positions, not just stating broad statements (Trent, Friedenberg, Denton, 2011). Fetterman needs to give specific actions and recommendations he would implement as Senator to back up his points. Fetterman should not follow Al Gore's strategy, who tried to intimidate his opponent George W. Bush but ultimately failed (Haltiwanger, 2019). Fetterman always criticizes Oz, and should continue to do so in the debate; however, he should be careful not to overdo it and to maintain a professional attitude.

Essentially, Fetterman needs to continue what he is doing and strengthen his image as much as possible. Fetterman is on a positive path, and he should work to continue his path as much as possible.

Work Cited

Haltiwanger, J. (2019). Presidential Debates Have Always Been Political Theater. Here are Some of Their Most Memorable Moments, Business Insider

Plank, L. (2022). Why Fetterman's Senate campaign is a teaching moment greater than this election, MSNBC, p. 1

Trent, J., Friedenberg, R., Denton, R. (2011) Debates in Political Campaigns. In Roman and Littlefield (7th ed.) Political Campaign Communication: Priciples & Practices
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AnonymousOctober 11, 2022 at 12:08 PM
Will Dean
If I were placed in the Marco Rubio campaign as the head of the debate team, the gloves would come off. Experts agree that the principal element of debate is confrontation (Trent). Therefore, Rubio must climb out of his shell and embrace the existing political landscape. This is a bloodbath election and there is little to gain from being agreeable. The meek may one day inherit the earth, but not this election cycle. If there is one candidate,I would recommend Rubio copy his debate strategy from, it would be his 2016 presidential opponent Donald Trump. Of course, this should be limited to the debate stage, as a complete character swap would seem fake and might shake off voters. However, if there were ever a cycle to express righteous indignation at the incumbent party, it is this one.
With just one week to go until he debates Val Demings, I believe the winning strategy is to play to the media’s influence. While the reading notes that “most contemporary political debaters, including Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush, and Obama, have not engaged in political debates,” Trump is a notable exception. My humble analysis suggests that this is because Trump played to the silent majority in the culture war. Rubio seems to be dipping his toe in these waters with a recent tweet claiming “only biological women can get pregnant” (Rubio). One strategy that Trump successfully employed in ’16 was controlling the audio. He constantly interrupted his opponents and made memorable quips, with classics such as “no puppet, no puppet, you’re the puppet” or “I assure you, there’s no problem there.”
Rubio currently holds a comfortable lead, with the RCP and 538 averages giving him a nearly identical +4.7% and +4.6% lead. But these polls are weeks old, with the latest poll coming from Mason-Dixon over a week ago. While he sits with a comfortable 47%-41% lead, the poll revealed that “2% support other candidates and 10% are undecided” (NBC 6 Staff). I admit this is a high risk gamble, but it is one worth taking. The citizens of Florida have been trending red for quite a few election cycles at this point, and the 10% undecided group likely contains a significant portion of Rubio voters. It is therefore incumbent upon Rubio to make a positive case for a conservative culture, or at least a negative case against the progressive.
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