Political debate has always been an important part of the campaign process. But the era of political debate really took off when television came along. This allowed two candidates to be seen on TV in the same room at the same time and gave voters a better sense of what they stood for. This made it much easier for voters to make an informed decision in the voting booth.
Since then, the tradition of incorporating political debate into campaigns has continued to grow. Today, social media has ushered in new forms of debate that combine old (television) and new (social networking sites). These new forums have given candidates the opportunity to respond directly to questions from voters, and they have provided an important window into the minds of ordinary people.
The first modern debates took place in the 19th century. The Lincoln-Douglas debates, held as part of a senatorial race, were notable because they were the first to be published in book form. The debates helped to shape the issue of slavery extension and set the stage for the Civil War.
In 2024, the Commission on Presidential Debates ended its role in organizing the debates. The campaigns of Biden and Trump reached a deal to hold their own debates without the CPD’s involvement. The CPD’s goal had been to allow the public an opportunity to sharpen their views of the candidates in a focused debate format. But as Fahrenkopf points out, “there has been controversy throughout different times about whether we have done a good job of that.”