Debates alter '88 campaign

WASHINGTON The proliferation of candidate debates, with nearlythree dozen scheduled before mid-March, has begun substantially toalter the tone, tactics and strategy of a presidential campaignalready dramatically different from the last two, politicians of bothparties say.

The 20 scheduled Democratic debates and 14 Republican debates inlarge part have replaced straw polls used in the 1980 and 1984campaigns as the major public political events for the candidates andnews media.

That change, political strategists in both parties said, couldproduce a primary season in which issues gain importance,lesser-known candidates have a better chance at competing andtelevision continues to be a major factor.

The campaign is already unique because of what politicians call"front-loading," bunching together so many of the contests so earlyin the year, including "Super Tuesday" in March, when 20 states willcite favorites. While that gives an advantage to candidates equippedto raise a lot of money and build organizations in many states,debates tend to counterbalance that.

"Debates are a great benefit to late starters," said Paul Tully,director of the campaign of Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Michael S.Dukakis.

"Regardless of a candidate's organization or money, he's at thesame level as the other guys," said David Keene, a consultant to Sen.Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.).

"It obviously helps someone not in the front ranks," he added,citing former Republican Delaware Gov. Pierre S. du Pont IV, alittle-known candidate, who has staked out controversial stands onsuch issues as welfare, Social Security and federal aid to farmers.

The 1980 and 1984 emphasis on straw polls forced news mediaattention on questions of organization, money and tactical maneuvers,as candidates would spend $75,000 to $250,000 to get their supportersto state conventions, where they would vote on who they preferred forpresident. While these popularity polls had nothing to do withconvention delegates, candidates would use them to demonstrate thestrength of their campaigns.

Debates, in contrast, already have functioned to force the newsmedia to focus not only on where candidates stand on issues but alsoon their respective television styles and mannerisms. Trade hasbecome a central issue in the contest. After the firstmulticandidate televised debate in Houston last month, differences intrade policy became the focal point of a dispute between Dukakis andRep. Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.), leading to a well-covered debate inIowa between the two on the issue.