Civility in the Presidential Debates

Tonight is the third and final presidential debate. The first, which many people claimed was the more “civil” of the two, was won by Mitt Romney. During the second, President Obama (well known for being a fierce competitor) took a more aggressive approach.

The second debate was filled with banter back and forth and it almost felt like they were in a boxing match. With all the shots fired at one another, it was hard to even understand their views on certain issues and their tones during the entire debate were distracting.

Tonight they will face each other again in their final debate in Boca Raton, Fla., at Lynn University. They will focus on foreign policy with moderator Bob Schieffer (host of Face the Nation on CBS). Given the subject, numerous reporters have commented that the rest of the world will be watching. If the United States is the leader of the free world, shouldn’t we lead by setting an example of civility?

If you missed the second debate, you can find a recap by the New York Times here that takes a closer look at the attacks and assertions by President Obama and Mitt Romney.

This post was written by Brittany Kapps, an intern with Indiana Humanities. Brittany is a Public Relations student at IUPUI.

In September, October and November, Indiana Humanities is exploring the topic of “civility,” as part of its Spirit of Competition theme.