Tame Debate Means Bad News for Bush
October 16, 1992

By Declan McCullagh

RICHMOND, October 16 -- Information, not innuendo, was 
the dominant theme of Thursday's presidential debate where 
President Bush, fighting to catch up to front runner Bill 
Clinton, was stymied by a debate format that kept talk 
focused on the issues.
The University of Richmond debate audience, composed 
entirely of independent voters, managed to keep the debate 
centered on domestic issues ranging from jobs, the deficit, 
health care and others, with one questioner asking the 
candidates to stop dwelling on "character."
Ross Perot immediately responded, saying "I couldn't agree 
with you more. Let's get off of this mud-wrestling."
Bush, who had made a point of attacking Clinton's character, 
wasn't as quick to agree, saying that having a strong 
character "is part of being president."
Another member of the debate audience, Marisa Hall, tried to 
move the arguments to a more personal level, challenging the 
candidates to reply to her question, "How has the national 
debt personally affected each of your lives?"
Even with Hall's self-admitted clumsy phrasing, Bush was 
able to determine the meaning of her question. "Are you 
suggesting that if somebody has means that the national debt 
doesn't affect them?" he asked.
Clinton replied to Hall's question by saying that his 12 years 
as Arkansas governor put him in touch with the problems of 
working people, while Perot replied that he left his personal 
life and got involved with politics because he was worried 
about the deficit.
Bush and Clinton disagreed over the extent necessary for 
educational reform, with Bush saying that parents should 
have the right to choose among private and public schools 
and the resulting competition should help improve them all. 
Clinton's reply was that he favored school choice, but didn't 
think that government funds should be used outside of the 
public school system.
Perot, who claimed to be a battle-scarred veteran from his 
attempts at reforming Texas' educational system, said that 
there was no need to spend more money on education and 
that local reform was the key to improvement. Also, said the 
billionaire, if he "could wish for one thing for great public 
schools, it'd be a strong family unit in every home."
Independent candidate Ross Perot left the converted 
basketball arena telling reporters, "I enjoyed it," but without 
making predictions for Election Day.
The other two presidential hopefuls left the debate site to 
attend their own post-debate rallies, where they celebrated 
with their campaign faithful.
"I think I did all right on the issues. How sweet the victory will 
be when we show the pollsters they are wrong," said Bush. "I 
need you to vote on November 3."
Clinton, speaking across town at the Richmond Mariott, said 
as little as possible in order to preserve his voice for the next 
debate. Keeping his remarks brief, the Democratic nominee 
told his supporters, "This country has been around for more 
than 200 years because at every critical juncture we have 
had the courage to change."
The over 2,000 journalists headquartered in the Robins 
Center auxiliary gym had much to say after the debate 
concluded and they prepared to shift their operations to the 
next debate site. The spin doctors, too, had comments to 
make.
PBS' Mark Shields thought Clinton shone at the debate. "You 
win a debate by being better informed, more comfortable and 
more at ease than your opponent -- [Clinton] was."
Governor William Weld (D-MA) disagreed, saying "[Bush] 
came out the winner on the issues of substance."
Key Bush operative Mary Matalin, working at the media filing 
center's "Spin Alley" said Clinton has "lied in each and every 
race in Arkansas" and that there were "clear differences" 
between Clinton and Bush on taxes and crime.
The next debate will be on Monday in East Lansing, 
Michigan.