Long treated as a sign of anxiety or a delaying tactic, ‘filled pauses’ are a linguistic trick to signal that what you are about to say might be complicated.
Leaders’ debates are perhaps the most over-rated, media-hyped and uber-analyzed events in politics, though they rarely have a meaningful impact on electoral outcomes.
Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, debated on Oct. 7, 2020.
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The seemingly different debate styles of President Trump and Vice President Pence are examples of the same thing, what a political communication scholar calls ‘authoritarian white masculinity.’
Texas Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, left, had something to celebrate after the 1988 vice presidential debate. Quayle not so much.
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A saucy, perfectly delivered retort by Democratic vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen didn’t hurt the Bush-Quayle ticket. But it dogged Dan Quayle for the rest of his political career.
When a debate becomes just a fight.
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A politician who wields a comeback with skill can use it as both a bludgeon and a shield, damaging the opponent without hurting their own popularity with voters.
Voters could know more about how each of these men think.
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It’s easy to perceive a political opponent as being uncivil – and that opens the door for an uncivil reply as well.
Host Jack Barry, middle, is flanked by contestants on ‘21,’ a 1950s TV game show.
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Debates may help voters identify which candidate shares their views but they do not help them think critically about those views. That’s because presidential debates don’t live up to their name.
We can justify different standards for different Twitter users by turning to the philosophical ideas about public debate.
Left to right: Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau pose before the start of the French-language leaders’ debate in Montreal in September 2015.
THE CANADIAN PRESS
The creation of a new debate commission in Canada should ensure televised showdowns between party leaders amid federal election campaigns are transparent and a boon to democracy.