The 1992 Presidential debates were a series of three debates between incumbent President George Bush, Democratic challenger Bill Clinton and for the first time a third party candidate Ross Perot sharing the stage with the two main party candidates.
Perot a successful and maverick business mogul whose main plank was the reform of the growing debt changed the dynamism of these debates. In previous elections, the Presidential debates tend to be antagonistic as each tend to land a killer punch or get their pre-arranged sound- bites in like a boxer's jab. What you tended to get instead was something that was actually dull with little that was illuminating.
The presence of Perot gave the debates a more conversational style and also dulled some of Bush's attack on Clinton who was regarded as a draft dodger, dope smoker and a womaniser. Perot used the first debate to appear centrist in order to court both Democrats and Republicans and seemed to be more forgiving of any youthful indiscretions by Clinton.
This left Bush, older, wiser, a senior politician, the incumbent President who had held record highs in the opinion polls after the first Gulf War looking floundered.
It was the second debate done in a Town Hall format that caused Bush problems and highlighted Clinton's skills in reaching out to ordinary people and empathise with them.
During the debate a woman who asked how the US debt affected them personally.
Bush looked confused, seemingly not understanding the question and also giving the impression he was finding the whole thing uncomfortable. There was a shot of him looking at the watch. Perot also stumbled his answer more interested in cutting down the deficit which was always his mantra.
Clinton walked right up to the edge of the stage and engaged in a conversation with the woman who asked the question. Clinton sold himself to the viewers at home who understood the uncertainties they were feeling. This was Clinton the communicator. He has made mistakes in the past but he had learned from them.
Again no clear cut winners in the second debate but Bush appeared aloof, lost and unable to understand the ordinary person in the street.
The third debate was more on economic issues which people though Perot did well in as it allowed him to get his sound bites in on the growing debt and how to reduce it. Whereas the other two traded insults on tax rises they would commit to.
However with a recession, the growing debt, concerns over health care and that the Republicans had controlled the White House for 12 years, there seemed to be a growing clamour for change. Clinton had shown enough to sell himself to the America and Bush was involved in a fight with Perot for the same voters.
Perot a successful and maverick business mogul whose main plank was the reform of the growing debt changed the dynamism of these debates. In previous elections, the Presidential debates tend to be antagonistic as each tend to land a killer punch or get their pre-arranged sound- bites in like a boxer's jab. What you tended to get instead was something that was actually dull with little that was illuminating.
The presence of Perot gave the debates a more conversational style and also dulled some of Bush's attack on Clinton who was regarded as a draft dodger, dope smoker and a womaniser. Perot used the first debate to appear centrist in order to court both Democrats and Republicans and seemed to be more forgiving of any youthful indiscretions by Clinton.
This left Bush, older, wiser, a senior politician, the incumbent President who had held record highs in the opinion polls after the first Gulf War looking floundered.
It was the second debate done in a Town Hall format that caused Bush problems and highlighted Clinton's skills in reaching out to ordinary people and empathise with them.
During the debate a woman who asked how the US debt affected them personally.
Bush looked confused, seemingly not understanding the question and also giving the impression he was finding the whole thing uncomfortable. There was a shot of him looking at the watch. Perot also stumbled his answer more interested in cutting down the deficit which was always his mantra.
Clinton walked right up to the edge of the stage and engaged in a conversation with the woman who asked the question. Clinton sold himself to the viewers at home who understood the uncertainties they were feeling. This was Clinton the communicator. He has made mistakes in the past but he had learned from them.
Again no clear cut winners in the second debate but Bush appeared aloof, lost and unable to understand the ordinary person in the street.
The third debate was more on economic issues which people though Perot did well in as it allowed him to get his sound bites in on the growing debt and how to reduce it. Whereas the other two traded insults on tax rises they would commit to.
However with a recession, the growing debt, concerns over health care and that the Republicans had controlled the White House for 12 years, there seemed to be a growing clamour for change. Clinton had shown enough to sell himself to the America and Bush was involved in a fight with Perot for the same voters.
