The recent Biden-Trump debate introduced many to a debate tactic known as Gish Gallop, where one throws out numerous unsupported arguments making it difficult to respond. Biden’s underwhelming performance is being attributed to this tactic, as the format and moderation allowed Trump to evade questions and make unsupported claims. While fact-checking sites show both candidates making false claims, Biden lacked a clear strategy in the debate. A comparison is drawn to Reagan’s debate with Mondale, emphasizing the importance of focusing arguments on key issues. The debate structure did not serve the needs of voters, as it lacked tough follow-up questions and allowed candidates to avoid specifics. Voters want to hear about specific plans for the future, not just past performance. The article argues for a structured debate format with more depth and follow-up questions to hold candidates accountable for their claims and provide clarity on key issues. By focusing on future plans and asking for specifics, moderators can push candidates towards targeted responses that better inform voters about each candidate’s policies and intentions. Voters deserve a debate format that educates and clarifies the key issues at stake in the election.
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