Democrats’ depression lifts as debate boost gives Kerry real shot at title

IN A revealing moment of television last week, PBS aired five-year-old interviews with former presidents on the role of presidential debates in American politics.

Coincidentally the interviews were conducted by Jim Lehrer, the moderator of last Thursday’s Bush-Kerry contest.

Four of the five presidents interviewed - Ford, Carter, Reagan and Clinton - gave answers on a similar theme, namely that debates are a terrific opportunity for the public to gauge the candidates’ relative strengths and weaknesses. One had a very different view. George Herbert Walker Bush confessed that he hated presidential debates, thought they were unnecessary, and felt they should be avoided if at all possible. Bush senior said the process favours oratory skills over other less attractive traits such as sound judgment and good management.