Presidential-Style Debate
Preliminary rounds will consist of four candidates. Each candidate will prepare a party
platform consisting of proposed domestic policy initiatives and foreign policy goals. Candidates
will exchange platforms with the other competitors 15 minutes prior to the round. Candidates are
encouraged to reference their own and each other’s platforms throughout the debate. Rounds will
start with opening statements from each candidate. These statements are intended to introduce
the candidate and their platform to the judge. Speaking order will be assigned and rotate through
each segment of the round. Judges will then transition the round to debate. Judges will ask a predetermined question and each candidate will have individual speaking time to answer the
question. Then candidates will have an opportunity to address one another in open crossexamination and discussion. This cycle will repeat two more times with different questions. Each
round will have a foreign policy question, domestic policy question, and a question on American
society. The round will then transition to closing statements. Closing statements are intended to
summarize the issues of the debate and make a final case as to why the candidate ought to be
elected.
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TIMES
o Platform Exchange & Prep-15 minutes
o Opening Statements
 Candidate A-2 minutes
 Candidate B-2 minutes
 Candidate C-2 minutes
 Candidate D-2 minutes
o Domestic Policy Question
 Candidate B-1 minutes
 Candidate C-1 minutes
 Candidate D-1 minutes
 Candidate A-1 minutes
 Open Conversation-3 minutes
o Foreign Policy Question
 Candidate C-1 minutes
 Candidate D-1 minutes
 Candidate A-1 minutes
 Candidate B-1 minutes
 Open Conversation-3 minutes
o American Society and Personal Leadership Question
 Candidate D-1 minutes
 Candidate A-1 minutes
 Candidate B-1 minutes
 Candidate C-1 minutes
 Open Conversation 3 minutes
o Closing Statements
 Candidate A-2 minutes
 Candidate B-2 minutes
 Candidate C-2 minutes
 Candidate D-2 minutes
o Total Time-37 minutes
PLATFORMS
Platforms should offer two domestic policy initiatives, two foreign policy goals/strategies, and a
brief description of the candidate’s political philosophy. Policy suggestions should include the
policies features, anticipated costs, and the policy’s goals. As a general rule platforms should not
exceed two pages. Candidates should have enough copies of their platforms for each competitor
in the round. Platforms will act as the foundation of the debate and be the grounds for defending
your own, and attacking your opponent’s candidacies.
OPENING STATEMENTS
To open the debate each candidate will deliver a two-minute opening statement. The
purpose of this statement is to introduce the candidate’s vision and policies to the judge. These
speeches may be prepared beforehand but that is not a requirement. Candidates may bring any
materials they wish into the round but may not access the internet after prep ends. Opening
statements will immediately follow one another with no prep in between.
TOPIC SEGMENTS
At the beginning of each topic segment the judge will read a previously undisclosed
question to all four candidates. The opening candidate should begin speaking no longer than 15
seconds after the question is read. Any candidate may ask for the question to be repeated at any
time. Candidates are encouraged to link their responses to their own and their opponent’s
platforms, but are not required to do so. After all candidates have spoken topic segments will
turn to open conversation, during which candidates are encouraged to ask questions of on
another and carry subsequent conversations about the questions and responses at hand. A loose
definition of “on topic” is encouraged. Candidates are free to discuss whatever they deem fit, and
are free to call one another out for going off topic.
CLOSING STATEMENTS
Candidates should use their closing statements to summarize the issues covered in debate
and make their final arguments for why they and their platforms are best suited for the country.
Candidates are once again free to discuss whatever they deem fit for discussion.
JUDGING
Rounds should be judged as undecided voter would judge an actual presidential debate.
The overarching question that should direct all judging is, “Which of these people would I most
like to be president?” Judges should ignore their personal political persuasions and affiliations
and adjudicate the round based on the persuasiveness of the individual candidates. Candidates in
the round should be ranked 1-4 and given speaker points on a scale of 1-25 (low point wins are
not permitted). The judge should not adjudicate or discuss rankings or speaker scores with
competitors or other judges. All comments and feedback should be made on the ballot that will
be given to candidates after the tournament.
QUESTIONS
Each round will have a unique set of questions and questions will be identical across all
rooms. Questions will be distributed to judges along with ballots. In each segment of the debate,
with exception of opening statements and closing statements, a question will be asked of the four
candidates. Each round will offer a question on foreign policy, domestic policy, and American
society. Questions will not be phrased as debate resolutions but instead will be phrased as nonbinary issue based questions. Questions will deal with both current issues facing the United
States and the world, as well as potential or systemic challenges a future president would
confront.
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Individual Speaking Time: Candidates will use their individual speaking time to respond
to the question. Candidates are encouraged to link the question to their own, and their
opponent’s platforms, but are by no means required to do so. Candidates are free to
respond to the question in any way they deem fit.
Open conversation: At this point opponents are encouraged to ask questions of one
another related to the question posed by judge. Candidates may use this time as they see
fit. They are encouraged to stay on topic but are not required to.
Example questions
o Domestic Policy
 In 2013 the U.S. census bureau reported that a record 35% of Americans
receive federal welfare benefits. If elected, what would you do to combat
poverty in the United States?
 If elected, would you pardon Edward Snowden?
 With only 37% approval rating, how would you respond to the American
people’s concerns about the Affordable Care Act?
 With total student loan debt recently exceeding all other forms of private
debt, what would you say to the 26% of recent college graduates who are
either un-employed or underemployed?
 How will you reconcile the federal government’s War on Drugs with
state-level legalization efforts?
 In what cases is it acceptable to conduct warrantless surveillance of
citizens?
 What do you plan to do about global warming?
 The futures of Medicare and Social Security are as unclear as what should
be done to save these programs. What should be done to save these
programs?
o Foreign Policy
 Do you support the president’s military action against ISIS and what
would you do differently?
 The U.S.’s relationship with Israel is as much of a sacred cow as it is a
source of international conflict. If elected, how would you change the
U.S.’s relationship with Israel?
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As of now the government has done little to combat Chinese violations of
U.S. patents and copyright law. What would you do to protect American
business abroad?
 With the cold war ending 24 years ago, is it time to remove U.S. military
bases from wealthy countries like Japan, Germany, and South Korea?
Can’t our allies protect themselves?
 With tensions rising in Ukraine, and Putin flexing on global stage. Is
Russia still “a bear in the woods” and what should be done about it?
 What do you believe are the long-term implications of an extended drone
campaign within a country whom we have not declared war on? What
does it mean for potential radicalization, democratic institutions and future
cooperation?
o American Society and personal Leadership
 Washington only seems to be getting more toxic as time goes on, what
would you do to minimize partisan brinksmanship and get Washington
back to work?
 Has America’s gun culture run amok?
 What if any amendments to the constitution should be made?
 Describe one flaw in your political ideology.
 What challenge faced by America or the world frightens you the most?
 How do we save the American dream?
 What is your most impactful political memory?
 Presidential campaigns have increasingly focused on a small number of
swing states. Is this a sign we need to rethink the Electoral College?
 A little known power of the president is the power to appoint a curator of
the national mall. What additions or changes would you make to our
national monuments
 Who is the moral, political, or economic thinker that had the most impact
on your views?
 If elected what will be your first priority?
 Every president after Jimmy Carter has nominated at least one Justice to
the Supreme Court. What qualities do you believe make for an excellent
jurist?