DAVID IVERSON ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: THE STAKES ARE HIGH

EWA DRYJANSKA: What do you make of this campaign when you compare it to the previous ones?

DAVID IVERSON*: I think it’s a unique campaign. Every four years we say: this is the most important election. But I think it is a different campaign. First of all because of who’s running: we had the first African American running for president, the first Republican female candidate for vice president. And I think it is different because the stakes are high. There’s a lot that will depend on this next president. The problems facing the world are enormous. So we are at unique time where we only have an opportunity to tackle certain problems as climate change and global warming. And if we don’t tackle them now we may never be able to such. I think it is a quite different election and may be a historic one if Barack Obama is elected.

How would you assess the candidates’ appereance in the debates?

I think they came across differently. Obama came across as being much more calm and steady. McCain came across as being somewhat more angry and unhappy. And America doesn’t like unhappy and angry candidates so I think that was a problem for him even though personally I think that John McCain made quite a good job in the third debate. If I have been asked by an opinion poll who do I think won the debate? I would have said John McCain. But that’s not how it came across to most people.

What to your mind can give a candidate a large support of the public during the debate?

I think two things. First is not to make any big mistakes, to be careful in what you say. Secondly to come across as someone who understands what the real everyday concerns of American voters are. Do not talk on too high level. Talk in a way that connects with other people. Make sure you stay focused on those issues that people care about and that you are strongest on. So you’ll see in debates somebody will ask a question and a successful candidate will try to reframe that question to be able to focus on those things that they know people care about and they are regarded on.

Do you think that racial prejudice and also connections with the pastor Jeremiah Wright can prevent Barack Obama from wining this election?

I don’t think that it will be a deciding factor. It’s actually not an unfair question to raise about his association with Jeremiah Wright because he has been a controversial figure and Barack Obama was a member of that church for twenty years. I think it’s a legitimate question. What I was really struck with is that people don’t really wanna hear about that. People really wanna know: Are you going to make my life better? Are you going to help us so I can keep my job and keep my home and take care of my children? All the other it might have been important in 2004 in 2000 or in the past but not now.

Do you think that making Sarah Palin a candidate for McCain’s vice president was a good decision?

I understand why McCain chose the governor of Alaska. Having Obama – young Afro American with great oratorical ability as his rival he could not choose an ordinary candidate. That’s why he chose young, unknown Republican woman who was to gain women’s support and bring freshness to his campaign. At first it gave good results. Palin gave a very good speech during the Republican National Convention. But in the long term it didn’t help. It’s very interesting what Sarah Palin will do if John McCain loses. Does she have a future as a national politician? Could she run for a president?

 

* David Iverson has been an executive producer and anchor of national, regional and local specials for public broadcasting for 30 years. Iverson is based in San Francisco, where he also hosts programs for KQED public radio and television. In 2000, he served as the Presidential Debate Commission's coordinating producer for the Vice Presidential Debate between Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman.

 

Also in English:

• The economy, stupid! - interview with professor Mark Rozell - part I, part II
• Attacks on McCain - war over the truth - part I, part II
• Ridiculous attacks on Obama - part I, part II 
• Racism - America's ugliest modern secret