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Be careful what you wish for.
In recent months, the Bangor Daily News editorial board, and many other political observers, called for televised debates between presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
Now, the first of two debates between the two is nearly here. President Biden and former President Trump will hold their first debate at 9 p.m. Thursday. A second debate is scheduled for Sept. 10.
The debate, which will follow a set of rules agreed to by both candidates, is expected to be more muted than the 2020 debates, which often devolved into shouting matches with Trump and Biden talking over one another.
There will be no audience in the CNN studio in Atlanta and the microphone of the man who is not answering a question will be muted. That seems like a reasonable step, but it is pretty sad that such steps need to be taken so that two men, one a sitting president and one a former president, can tell the American people why they should be elected to the White House in November.
Yes, we know Trump, who was recently convicted on 34 felony counts and faces serious charges in three oth er criminal c ases, is no ordinary candidate. Bluster, and frankly insults and falsehoods, are an essential part of his persona. As a result, many commentators, especially those on the right, have said that the debate rules favor Biden. We’d point out that the leader of the free world should be able to get their point across without theatrics and belittling their challenger. This goes for both men.
The bar for Thursday’s debate is pathetically low. Biden should not be seen as a confused doddering old man. Trump shouldn’t come off as an uninformed and undisciplined bully.
America deserves better. As Detroit News editorial page editor Nolan Finley wrote in a recent column, a presidential debate should be about ideas, especially ideas for truly making America better.
“I suspect I’m like most voters in that I don’t need to be further frightened about four more years of Trump or Biden. I’m already plenty scared,” Finley wrote in the column, published this week by the Bangor Daily News.
“What I need is something hopeful to cling to. I’d like to know how they plan to bring peace and prosperity to America and bring its people together.”
Like other papers around the country, the Detroit News has begun its process of considering what candidates it will endorse, including for president. This year, the paper has instituted a new policy of requiring candidates to talk about themselves and what they will do if elected. The paper’s editorial board, which Finley oversees, says it will not endorse anyone whose only argument for being elected is that they aren’t as bad as the person they’re running against.
“What we’re looking for are candidates who can articulate positive ideas for moving the country forward,” Finley wrote in his column.
It’s an optimistic goal for sure. Candidates and their campaigns throw out barbs and denigrate their opponents because it works with their base. But to lead all of America, Biden and Trump must speak to all Americans. And that requires not pitting one group against another or elevating one group above another.
It’s a deceptively simple idea, but in a time of politically charged rhetoric and attack ads, it would be refreshingly welcome when Trump and Biden take the debate stage on Thursday night.
