Presidential debates

Gov. George Bush got a bounce after the GOP convention that moved him clearly ahead of Vice President Al Gore. The vice president, in turn, got a bounce after his convention that may have put him slightly ahead of the governor. Media analysts may talk about America’s fractured attention brought on by the many sources of information now available, but extended television coverage still makes a large difference in a campaign, pointing to the need for the candidates to settle on a televised-debate schedule soon and test their ideas directly against their opponent.

Negotiations for presidential debate are always a bit of a dance, but both candidates in this race should welcome a chance to stand up in a formal debate and defend their positions. Certainly, there is a lot to discuss – health care and school vouchers, military readiness and Social Security, tax cuts and the national debt, the environment and global trade. Mr. Gore is well known for his command of the minutia of issues; Mr. Bush has demonstrated a skill for connecting with people that allows him to explain complicated ideas in compelling ways.

These differences were displayed at their respective conventions and would certainly follow them into a debate. And, sure, both looked good when thousands of convention-attending party members cheered on cue or generally looked up adoringly. It’s easy at that time to mischaracterize an opponent and get away with it. Though the latest conventions were calm affairs by any measure, both candidates got their digs in or had surrogates do it. But when the person the candidate is skewering is a mere five feet away with time to reply, the situation becomes a real test of their ability to act in a high-pressure situation.

The Commission on Presidential Debates has proposed three debates in Octobers for the lead cadidates and one for the vice presidential nominees. Mr. Gore seems eager to debate as often as possible, but probably could live with this proposal. Mr. Bush seems the more leery and is reported to want changes in venue or format to favor his skills. There’s nothing new in any of this, and given the abilities of both candidates, no reason that a compromise cannot swiftly be reached to settle the issue.