The Lincoln-douglas Debates & The McCain v. Obama Debates

1. My group members and I had to continue with the topics from the Galesburg debates, further comments on the Dred Scott case, and slavery in the territories. Our main focus was the slavery views on both sides. We included quotes from both candidates and their particular personal views on slavery. From This Article Lincoln states his view quite clearly, he says, “I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters of jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, not to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which will ever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality...” Douglas questions Lincoln's statement about the superiority of whites over blacks. He made the point of asking, what the point of a Declaration of Independence was, if men like him are just going to keep twisting the words to what he wants them to sound like.

2.Regarding the Presidential and Vice Presidential 2008 debates, I think that the candidates are very repetitive on their views. I haven't seen any new idea either of them have brought up. My overall feeling about it is, "I'll see what happens once one of them gets in office." I mean to me their being honest and quite clear, I just don't see anything really taking place until one of them is president of the United States. If I were to compare them to the Lincoln-Douglas debates I think that a big difference is definitely the time. These days the time is so much shorter than the hour and a half Lincoln and Douglas had. I really don't think that Obama and McCain could do as well with 90 minutes of talking without repeating their sentences at least double what they already do. On the other hand, if Lincoln and Douglas had to speak for only 2 minutes, they would look at us as less intelligent because our focus is not on them speaking as much as it is who's winning the election. So both ways I think would be difficult for both sides.