Let's have the great debate

Noynoy Aquino’s challenge to engage Manny Villar in a one-on-one debate has been decisively accepted by the Nacionalista Party standard bearer, immediately responding - “name the place, name the time, I will be there.” Although Villar made it known that he wanted the discussion to focus on candidates’ platforms and credibility so as not to degenerate into “senseless argumentation and mudslinging,” it’s very clear that the gauntlet thrown by the Liberal Party candidate has been picked up by Manny Villar without hesitation.

No doubt ANC and other media outlets should encourage this one-on-one debate between Noynoy and Manny in order for people to once and for all decide which of the two frontrunners can conduct themselves well under intense pressure and media scrutiny, and compare their platforms, their agenda and other issues that will impact the future of this nation and its people.

The way things stand, both the NP and the LP camps are now hard-pressed to iron out the details for the “great debate” between their standard bearers not only in terms of schedule and venue but other parameters like the format and structure. Our sources from the LP camp tell us that Noynoy regularly gets megadoses of briefings from a slew of advisers on numerous topics. And for this “great debate,” I’m sure Noynoy will get double the dosage of these briefings.

In the United States, televised presidential debates have become very much anticipated events since 1960 when John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon engaged in a one-on-one where the more charismatic and telegenic JFK won the audience over.

During the last US presidential campaign, Republican candidate John McCain challenged Barack Obama to a series of joint 10 town hall-type “meetings” — which are actually debates in nature — to give the campaign a “new tenor.” The Obama camp responded positively to such a challenge, even recommending a format that is less-structured and lengthier than what McCain suggested, reminiscent of the seven debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. Although the debates were for a seat in the US Senate and not for the position of president, the Lincoln and Douglas debates still drew large numbers of people from various states and were widely covered by newspapers because the main issue was slavery.

“What a welcome change it would be were presidential candidates in our time to treat each other and the people they seek to lead with respect and courtesy as they discussed the great issues of the day, without the empty sound bites and media-filtered exchanges that dominate our elections . . . No process questions from reporters, no spin room,” McCain emphasized.

Perhaps this is what Congresswoman Mila Magsaysay had in mind when she suggested a free-wheeling debate without any “codigo” (notes) where participants will not be informed of the questions ahead of time to prevent so-called “stock answers.” Naturally, Mila Magsaysay wants to include Lakas-Kampi presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro in the one-on-one debates, knowing very well that Gibo has the confidence and the mental composure to withstand any grilling.

A lot of people who have had the opportunity to listen to Gilbert during presidential forums have discovered for themselves how good he really is in articulating his programs. Being a La Sallite, he sounds like an Atenean. Many observed that he is able to get to the heart of a question, giving specific answers and solutions to problems. Even the Makati Business Club where many members are known to be Noynoy sympathizers were impressed by the Lakas-Kampi presidentiable last Thursday.

A lot of people have not made up their minds and are in fact still confused on who to vote for. As such, they want to see more one-on-one debates not only between survey frontrunners Villar and Aquino but between the other candidates to see how they all measure up against each other.

Former international banker Gilbert Jose who has lived abroad for almost 25 years came back to the Philippines with high hopes. He considers the May elections as a crossroad for this country, and wants to know more of the candidates and see for himself which one has the competence and capability to lead this country in the next six years especially with the enormous problems we will be facing. He was however disappointed that none of them have discussed the correlation between population and poverty in the country today. But he thinks these one-on-one debates will give us a clearer picture about the individual candidates, something which forums with too many participants will not be able to provide. 

Since the challenge has been issued by Noynoy to Manny, theirs is the face-off that people are now eagerly waiting for. Both candidates can learn from the great debate between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon, where voters were able to judge for themselves which of the two candidates were able to communicate their stand on numerous issues.

Perhaps the same format can be used with just one moderator — and I’m sure Noynoy and even Manny will want the moderator to be “unbiased.” We don’t know if Brother Eddie Villanueva who has offered to be the referee will be unbiased since he himself is also a candidate. Maybe the debaters could also answer two or three questions each from the audience at certain points during the debate to really give the proceedings a non-prepped up atmosphere. But whatever the format, this “great debate” is something that people are looking forward to because it could be the deciding factor in the coming elections.

As wrestling fans would say it, “Let’s bring it on!” 

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