United States presidential election debates
Obama, Romney set to tangle Tuesday night in second of three debates
Mitt Romney and Barack Obama found common purpose in advance of Tuesday night’s presidential debate, complaining that journalist moderator Candy Crowley wasn’t agreeing to stick to the script. But Crowley, a Midwesterner, says she’s going ahead with the debate how she wants — and the two sides now insist they’re ready.
The First Debate, and the Swing Vote
Every four years, millions of Americans tune in for the three 90-minute presidential debates, which are typically the only time in the political process that voters have the opportunity to see the candidates discussing the issues face to face. This election season, the issue at the forefront is the struggling U.S. economy. But how much […]
Presidential Candidates Debate Science
The televised presidential debate focused on the economy and domestic policy but ignored important questions about science and the environment. Shawn Otto, founder of Sciencedebate.org, helps fill in the gap. He tells host Steve Curwood about the 14 important science questions answered by each candidate for Scientific American.
The Audience’s Role in a Debate
With 23 debates held thus far, the GOP candidates have conjured a great deal of applause, cheers, boos and laughter. But whether or not audience reactions are allowed is largely dependent on the commentator and arena: Brian Williams instructed the audience of this Monday’s debate broadcast on NBC to refrain from clapping or any verbal reactions. On […]