We are interviewing newsmakers from across the political spectrum during the 2024 campaign season. If you have ideas for future interviewees, suggest them here.
The June debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump served as a stark reminder of how the primetime matchups can upend an election.
With Vice President Kamala Harris replacing Biden atop the Democratic ticket after the 81-year-old president’s debate performance highlighted age concerns that led him to step aside, the Tuesday night debate between Harris and Trump is the first time the two will square off.
Debates have played interesting roles in Maine elections as well. We asked two past candidates about how they prepared for debates and what they had in mind before getting on the stage for the difficult task of going head to head with opponents.
Garrett Mason, a Republican from Lisbon, served as the Maine Senate majority leader before running for governor in the 2018 election. He was among three GOP candidates beaten in the primary by businessman Shawn Moody, who then lost to now-Gov. Janet Mills that November.
Emily Cain, a Democrat from Orono, served in both legislative chambers before unsuccessfully running in 2014 and 2016 against former U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, a Republican who represented Maine’s 2nd District.
How did you prepare for debates, and what were your top goals going into them?
Mason: It really depended on the opponent. When you’re preparing for them, you have other people in the room who can act like the person and [say] what they probably will say based on their campaign themes.
That’s how I prepared best, was with somebody there who had studied that person a little bit and was able to fire back at me. Your opponent always has a weakness. I was stronger on the 2nd Amendment and so was very well prepared for that when the subject came up.
You also have your biggest liability. You wanted to have a really good line or a story or an example to kind of beef up your weakness. I thought about: What’s my biggest weakness, and what’s my biggest strength?
But in the case of tonight, I think both candidates are fairly well known to the American public, so it’s going to be up to Trump or Harris to kind of bring a magnifying glass to those weaknesses. I think they’re prepared for that. The muted mic plays to [Trump’s] advantage big time because it hides his biggest weakness — interrupting.”
Emily Cain: The most important goal in a debate is to come across authentically. For the first time, voters get to know you in your words. You need to keep top of mind ‘What is your goal’ — get to know you better, draw a contrast with your opponent and define your opponent.
There’s always a moment or two in every debate where your opponent says something that could really take you off track, and those are moments you need to watch out for. It’s about making sure you know not to take the bait.
One of the most memorable moments was the [2016 debate against Poliquin] with Maine Public’s Jennifer Rooks. She asked us to say something you admire about each other. [Poliquin] chose that moment to berate me and my family in a backhanded way.
I was able to both respond to him and say something nice about him. I simultaneously was authentically myself and didn’t take the bait. I never had as many calls, texts and emails than after that from people, including Republicans.
I messed up many a moment in debates, but there are also moments where I was myself.
