John Fetterman’s Disaster Shows Why Debates Might Go Extinct

Wednesday night’s U.S. Senate debate in Pennsylvania raised even more concerns regarding John Fetterman’s health and fitness for office, but it also raised questions about the way we judge candidates.

Are political debates still a worthwhile exercise that give voters a better sense of the candidates and their policies, or are they a low-budget game show that rewards the best entertainer? Whatever the answer, the notion that debates are a sacrosanct part of American democracy is fading, and the candidates are voting with their feet.

In 2016, Donald Trump seemed to benefit from skipping a primary debate. In the 2022 general election, Trump skipped the second debate with Joe Biden after the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) announced that it would be virtual, due to his COVID-19 diagnosis.