Beyond the Presidential Horse Race

This event billed as a “good old-fashioned debate” between Barber B. Conable, Jr., the Republican Representative from New York from 1965-1985, and Richard W. Bolling, the Democrat Representative from Missouri from 1949-1983, occurred on October 27, 1984, on the eve of the Regan/Mondale presidential election.

Washington College President Douglass Cater moderated the event, providing the candidates with a collegial format for discussion. The topics that they discuss still apply to our current political climate. These include taxation of the middle class vs. the wealthy, conservatism vs. progressivism, and elections and the Electoral College. Both parties have different fundamental perspectives on these issues. The parties' convictions behind these priorities have led us to today's contentious discourse. Deciding how to use your vote is essential and can be a bit of a minefield. Sometimes, our ideas do not fall within one political party, which is something we see today with independent voters. People’s choice of a president can stem from support of just that candidate or, more often, loyalty to one’s political party. Toward the end of the debate, President Cater asked two final questions, one about the ability of each candidate to negotiate with the Soviet Union. Conable and Bolling agreed that the most pressing issue facing the nation was relations with Russia, an issue we face today. As our presidential election approaches, we must pay critical attention to the rhetoric and look for the substantive policies of both parties to vote for a presidential candidate that accurately represents the diverse views of the American people.

You can listen to the whole debate on our digital archive here: https://washcoll.whirlihost.com/Detail/objects/6759