courtesy of randomhouse.com.
Host of PBS NewsHour and perennial presidential debate moderator Jim Lehrer has put together an anecdotal history of the televised presidential debate, from the groundbreaking first that pitted John F. Kennedy against Richard Nixon through to the 2008 contests between John McCain and Barack Obama. Lehrer combines his own experiences with reflections from the candidates to explore the “major moments” that have played such a role in determining the future of our country.
Tension City is written with the same dignified sensibility that Lehrer shows as a moderator. Lehrer’s book is a chance to revisit the most famous moments in the history of televised debates with new insight from those who were there. Lehrer has no groundbreaking revelations, no second-shooter-type conspiracies, just an interesting discussion, and a peek at the man behind the curtain. Moderator is a thankless position, one where doing your job right means treading a fine line, “walking down the blade of a knife” in Mr. Lehrer’s words, of eliciting earnest and relevant answers from the candidates on stage while remaining in the background. If a moderator does his job right, he will go largely unnoticed, but a small mistake puts him quickly in the national spotlight.
The politics, which would seem to be the natural draw here, come off a bit flat. The input from the candidates has them coming off, unsurprisingly, like politicians. They generally refrain from any strong responses and reveal little—when it comes to famous lines, each one was thought up on the spot. The one exception is George H.W. Bush, who is the only one with anything really interesting to say (even the title comes from a quote by him). Politicians spend their whole career carving out an image for themselves, one that is necessarily bland. This is part of the allure of debates, to pull them out of their comfort zones and maybe get a peek behind the facade. Going back for comments well after the fact, Lehrer has found their armor back up and spin zone going full tilt. Some more color would have been nice but pressing the subject would have been contrary to the tone of the book.
Lehrer’s own experiences come across with a bit more color and charm. Lehrer has moderated eleven nationally televised debates starting in 1988 for vice-presidential candidates George H.W. Bush and Geraldine Ferraro and has moderated a debate in every election since then. On his experience Lehrer can be forthcoming and he gives a human dimension to the often overlooked position in the middle seat. He shares with us the tedious research process, the moments he regrets (his opening question in 1988, the first asked by a moderator), the moments he missed (Al Gore’s overblown reactions in 2000), and this-will-all-be-funny-someday moments (when he lost his audio feed less than three minutes before going on air). Through all of this, Lehrer maintains the good humor of a reunion.
Of course, presidential debates are of utmost importance, with such high stakes and narrow margins, a major gaffe can swing an election. Yet Lehrer keeps the mood light and is able to humanize these surreal events. They are, after all, just humans. Twenty-four hour news and political talking heads can make big headlines of the smallest mistakes. Tension City centers on the moments which outlived the debates. He revisits the famous quotes, the big questions, and the controversies without passing judgment. It is interesting to reconsider now, what changed elections then. When asked about how his stance on the death penalty would hold if his wife were raped and murdered, Michael Dukakis went on to answer it rationally and was lambasted for not being stirred up and reactionary. Al Gore and his team had a better appreciation for the importance of showmanship but did not know a good way to take advantage of it, and he ended up with a new demeanor for each debate. George H.W. Bush did not like debates (he still doesn’t).
Tension City reads more like a yearbook than a history. Coming in under two hundred pages it keeps a lively pace and will not set up camp on your desk from now until 2012. Lehrer brings charm and a wealth of personal experience to the book. This is a fine read for fans of Sunday morning news programs. Lehrer knows enough to present the subject and let the reader do the judging, which is a welcome relief from the violent confrontational titles that make up the Politics and Current Events section at your local bookstore. This is a good reminder that at its base, a debate is just three men on a stage, trying to not screw up. And really isn’t that what we all want, just to not screw up?
Tension City goes on sale Tuesday, September 13 from Random House Inc.
7.5 out of 10 Golden Eggs
