1984 Debate: The Moderators
The Moderators: Ted Koppel and Phil Donahue
"[Rep. Chuck Schumer <D-NY>:]
'We hoped to create a real New England town meeting atmosphere that will produce a dialogue between candidates and the American people.' Spoken like a New Yorker.”
—Rutland Herald (Rutland, VT) January 13, 1984
From its inception, Democratic Party organizers regarded a live televised primary debate as a challenge to the telegenic and media-savvy Republican incumbent, President Ronald Reagan. They consulted with media figures such as producer Norman Lear, creator of landmark broadcast television series All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, about how best to stage and present the televised debate. A conflict with any playoff National Football League (NFL) game was carefully avoided.
Reporters, including David Shribman '76 (right, with glasses), who would win a Pulitzer Prize while at The Boston Globe.
The key to the debate’s success was format and moderation. A journalist as moderator was not an obvious choice and the first choice was not available. Initially, Lesley Stahl of CBS was approached but her network declined the offer. Ted Koppel of ABC -- whose show, Nightline, had its origins in coverage of the Iran hostage crisis -- was selected. Koppel moderated the first-half of the three-hour broadcast, posing questions directly to the candidates.
The second 90 minutes was devoted to audience questions. Syndicated television talk show host Phil Donahue was a controversial selection as moderator for this segment. Some media observers were scathing in their evaluation of Donahue’s performance. Others were more generous. Of the debate itself, the Philadelphia Inquirer (January 17, 1984) observed:
There was, in fact, very little format to Sunday’s debate -- and no structure to speak of. It rambled out of control at times, occasionally teetering on the edge of chaos, but that was the essential beauty of it.