{"id":19983,"date":"2020-03-15T19:10:17","date_gmt":"2020-03-15T19:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=19983"},"modified":"2020-03-18T22:19:41","modified_gmt":"2020-03-18T22:19:41","slug":"lessons-on-wrangling-candidates-from-the-masterful-moderator-of-presidential-debates-jim-lehrer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/lessons-on-wrangling-candidates-from-the-masterful-moderator-of-presidential-debates-jim-lehrer\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons on wrangling candidates from the masterful moderator of presidential debates, Jim Lehrer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mary Kate Cary<\/a>, University of Virginia<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Boy, do I miss Jim Lehrer.<\/p>\n

I thought of the late PBS anchor and legendary presidential debate moderator<\/a> fondly while watching the last two Democratic debates in Charleston<\/a> and Las Vegas<\/a>. The constant interruptions, the lack of decorum and the complete disregard for time limits on candidates\u2019 answers all worked to cause viewers like me to hope Lehrer had faked his own death and would come walking back on stage.<\/p>\n

Why couldn\u2019t a combined total of 10 moderators at two debates keep control of seven candidates?<\/p>\n

With the next Democratic debate coming this weekend, the moderators from CNN and Univision could learn a few lessons from a pro like Lehrer.<\/p>\n

\u2018Clarify that statement\u2019<\/h2>\n

Dubbed by Politico as the \u201cMaster of Moderation<\/a>,\u201d Lehrer moderated 12 presidential debates between 1988 and 2012, the most of anyone in American history<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, the University of Virginia\u2019s Miller Center, a nonpartisan think tank which specializes in presidential scholarship, held a workshop for Senior Fellows \u2013 including me<\/a> \u2013 to learn how to moderate debates and panel discussions. Lehrer, a long-time Miller Center board member, offered to give us his best advice.<\/p>\n

Three hours later, I had taken pages of notes.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, moderating a presidential debate has become like riding a bike,\u201d Lehrer said, acknowledging his decades of being at center stage every four years. \u201cBut I realize not everyone knows how to ride that bike, so I\u2019m going to spend the next few hours teaching you what I know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Democratic presidential candidates former Vice President Joe Biden (L) and Tom Steyer (R) debate as Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) reacts during the Democratic presidential primary debate, Feb. 25, 2020 in Charleston, South Carolina.<\/span>
\nGetty\/Win McNamee<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Got a candidate who is taking more time than others? Ask more questions of the others to maintain the perception of fairness. If you ask long involved questions, he advised, you\u2019ll get long involved answers \u2013 and the problem of imbalance arises from the start.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf a candidate says, \u2018My answer has seven parts,\u2019 you say: \u2018Great, give me the first three.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Is a candidate attacking the moderator? Turn the other cheek, smile and don\u2019t take the bait. \u201cIf the moderator gets drawn into a fight, the moderator always loses,\u201d Lehrer warned us.<\/p>\n

Think a candidate isn\u2019t telling the truth? Don\u2019t yell \u201cLiar!\u201d Keep from reacting at all. Then try: \u201cBased on my knowledge, I want to ask you to clarify that statement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Battle plans \u2018out the window\u2019<\/h2>\n

Before every debate, Lehrer said, he would look into a mirror offstage: \u201cIt\u2019s not about me,\u201d he\u2019d tell himself. He told us to use our knowledge to shine a light on other people\u2019s knowledge, not our own.<\/p>\n

He was such a humble man, in fact, that he told us that if you heard anyone quoting the moderator at the end of a debate, you\u2019d know the moderator had failed.<\/p>\n

No need to preface your questions with a lead-in or even worse, your own opinion. Just get right to the point: \u201cDo you agree?\u201d \u201cDo you think that\u2019s right?\u201d \u201cWhat would a good deal look like to you?\u201d<\/p>\n

Do your homework, and have more questions than you think you\u2019ll ever need. Know everything there is to know about the people on stage and what their positions are. Map out in advance where you want the discussion to go.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a battle plan,\u201d he said with a wry smile, \u201cbut know it\u2019ll go out the window once the first bullet is fired.\u201d<\/p>\n