Election Debate Moments in California

Election debates in southern California include an ABC hosted event, October 13, 1960, but the candidates were in two locations across the nation: Nixon was in a Los Angeles studio while his opponent John Kennedy was in a New York City studio. The Reagan Library Foundation has hosted four Republican Presidential candidate debates.

The bipartisan commission, based in New York was founded in 1987, its predecessor for hosting debates is the League of Women Voters. The Commission sponsored every general election presidential debate since it was founded and announced in November 2023 the date and location of three 2024 Presidential Debates with an additional site later added. CPD: About CPD (debates.org)

• September 16, 2024 – Texas State University, San Marcos, TX
• September 25, 2024 – Lafayette College, Easton PA
• October 1 – Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA
• October 9 – University of Utah – Salt Lake City, UT

However, both campaign organizations for Presidents Biden and Trump objected to the late season timing of the dates and committed to two earlier debates; tonight’s with CNN The Rules for Tonight’s Presidential Debate on CNN - The New York Times (nytimes.com) and another one September 10th with ABC News. A Brief History of U.S. Presidential Debates - History of Presidential Debates | HowStuffWorks

It was only Tuesday June 24th the Commission conceded to the candidates and released the sites they had announced. They also begged, pleaded, asked for the candidates to return "CPD stands ready to sponsor 2024 debates should circumstances change." Statement on CPD's 2024 General Election Debates

However, it was debate in 2012, at Pierce College, between Congressional candidates in the San Fernando Valley which received national attention. The newly drawn district, because of the Constitutional call for a Census, had two incumbent Democrats, seven term Sherman and fourteen term Berman, battling over the east valley. Berman wanted to maintain the area he had represented, and Sherman saw it as a way to secure the entire Valley.

The stakes were higher in the new 30th district, because of a newly enacted “top-two” primary process. Although, some saw the “top two vote recipients” primary process to the advantage of closing off the opposing party’s favored candidate in a district with marginally disadvantaged party aligned registration. The “top-two” was enacted in 2010 by way of Proposition 14 which was promoted to end “party polarization and legislative gridlock” However, the California Democratic state legislative supermajority of the 21st century has remained unbroken since the 2000 election; with the top-two election process benefitting and perpetuating the scope and entrenchment.

While the two had a history of animosity, no one expected a younger incumbent to physically go after his opponent as Brad Sherman did when he grabbed the thirteen-year senior Howard Berman close to emphasize a response, a challenge.

The picture became political satire and a video material for Berman's campaign, but it did not hurt either candidate at the ballot box. They were the “top-two” vote recipients. Berman lost in November and Sherman is up for his 15th term, in a district which was again redrawn in 2022.

Brad Sherman Grabs Howard Berman At Debate, Challenges Him To A Fight - LA Weekly

Parke Skelton, Sherman's campaign manager quickly issued a statement “Sherman did not challenge Berman. Cong. Sherman was reacting to Berman leaving his table, coming over to where Sherman's was seated and calling him a “liar” and “delusional.” The moderator challenged Berman's name calling. Sherman asked Berman to “get away from me.” But Berman refused. At that point Sherman put his arm briefly around Berman and asked “Howard, you want to get into this? You want to put your face into my face…” Clearly the context is that Sherman is upset that Berman has come over to where Sherman was and is getting in his face and calling him names. Sherman is asking Berman why he is behaving the way he is.” Full statement here:

Brad Sherman Grabs Howard Berman At Debate, Challenges Him To A Fight - LA Weekly

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