The Kalb Report kicked off its eighth season Tuesday night, focusing on the history of presidential debates and the role they play in electing the nation’s executive.
Discussing the epoch in U.S. presidential elections following the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate, host Marvin Kalb was joined by CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, 1960 debate questioner Sander Vanocur, and Janet Brown and Mike McCurry from the Commission on Presidential Debates.
“I honestly don’t think we knew what we were getting involved in,” Mr. Vanocur explained when examining his role in the first televised debate in U.S. history.
At the time, “no one understood the power of television,” Mr. Schieffer responded, but, ultimately, “Kennedy mastered television like Roosevelt mastered radio.“
Presidential debates eventually became institutionalized, the panel concluded, culminating in the creation of a formal, nonpartisan commission in 1987.
When the discussion shifted to media in an era where the Internet plays a key role in public life, Mr. Schieffer stated that he believes “journalists still perform a noble function,” and need to continue their role as gatekeepers.
“You can’t have a football game without a referee,” the longtime CBS correspondent explained. “You can’t have a baseball game without an umpire.”
