AUTHOR SAYS DEBATES DO SERVE A PURPOSE

Instead of listening to Dan Rather explain what Bill Clinton and Bob Dole said during Sunday's presidential debate, organizers of DebateWatch '96 hope people will talk with each other about the issues.

Building a sense of community and an understanding of the impact of national issues is what DebateWatch '96 is all about.

Building a sense of community has been at the heart of the democratic process since its inception, said Wayne Fields, an expert and author on presidential speeches and debates.

"Understanding one another is the way we approach a more perfect union," Fields said.

He will present the Emil C. Weis Lecture today at noon at the University Center Ballroom. It is open to the public. Fields is author of the book, "Union of Words: A History of Presidential Eloquence."

Skeptics contend that the usefulness of presidential debates or any speech has been lost to canned sound bites. Fields disagrees.

"The president's primary weapon is language," Fields said.

Presidents dating back to George Washington have known that. Washington worked for a "community of affection in Americans," Fields said. "He couldn't do that by passing a law."

Franklin D. Roosevelt served during an era of fear. The Great Depression divided the nation along economic lines. "He had fireside chats -- going into people's living rooms and telling stories about other Americans," Fields said. "He believed that the only way the nation would move ahead would be as a community."

This year's presidential contenders will face off Sunday in Hartford, Conn., and Oct. 16 in San Diego. A vice-presidential debate will be held Oct. 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

All three are sponsored by the national Commission on Presidential Debates, a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization.

Cape Girardeau is one of 18 national research sites for DebateWatch '96, a national project to encourage discussion of issues. In addition, scores of DebateWatch parties are being organized to help people learn more about each other.

In 1992, the first DebateWatch research project was held to determine what people learned from debates. The study showed that people learned very little from the debates but they learned lots from the discussion afterward with their neighbors.

This time around, the focus for DebateWatch is encouraging the discussion. Data from each group will be tallied. The debate commission will use it to better shape future debates. Candidates and the media will also have access.

Church groups, organizations and individuals are planning parties. Numerous parties are set for campus locations. Packets of instructions and score sheets are available by calling 1-800-340-8109 or at the Speech Department office in Grauel Language Arts building. If someone wants to participate, but doesn't want to host a party, contact the speech department to link up with another group.

At the end of each debate discussion, a score sheet from the group can be faxed to the national DebateWatch headquarters to be counted with other groups around the country.

In addition, online discussions will be held following each of the debates at www.debates96.org.

The debate offers the best chance to see spontaneity from the candidates, Fields said.

True, candiates are spending much of this week preparing, developing answers, and trying to control as much of the process as possible. "But some parts are not in their control," Fields said.

In addition, Fields said, the debates offer the one chance in the course of the campaign for the nation to come together and listen to candidates and their issues.

"One of the things that was very important to the old process of democratic politics was the audience," Fields said. "The speech was partially about what the speaker was saying and partially about the community that was listening."

DebateWatch, Fields said, gives people this year a chance to make their voice heard in the process in a way other than casting a vote.