Debate Tracker
Although Americans consistently rate health and financial security as their top domestic concerns, the first presidential debates have given little attention to them. While foreign policy is highly important to the American public, we need a national dialogue on affordable, quality health care and long-term financial security for our generation and for future ones.
Four of the nation's leading consumer, business and labor organizations that make up Divided We Fail—AARP, Business Roundtable, Service Employees Union (SEIU) and National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)—will use the influence of their combined memberships to amplify the message that attaining health and long-term financial security is vital for all Americans and these issues must be included in the national political debate.
Divided We Fail will be monitoring televised debates and the questions asked on an ongoing basis here at dividedwefail.org.
| |
Questions |
|
| Debate |
Total |
DWF* |
% |
 | Pennsylvania Democratic Debate (ABC News, 4/16/08) | 13 | 1 |
12.5% |
| Ohio Democratic Debate (MSNBC, 2/26/08) | 17 | 1 |
5.9% |
| Texas Democratic Debate (CNN, 2/21/08) | 13 | 1 |
7.7% |
| South Carolina Democratic Debate (CNN, 1/31/08) | 20 | 2 |
10% |
 | California Republican Debate (CNN, 1/30/08) | 17 | 2 |
11.8% |
|
| Florida Republican Debate (MSNBC, 1/24/08) | 28 | 5 |
17.9% |
| South Carolina Democratic Debate (CNN, 1/21/08) | 11 | 3 |
27.3% |
| Nevada Democratic Debate (MSNBC, 1/15/08, AARP response) | 24 | 4 |
16.7% |
| South Carolina Republican Debate (Fox News, 1/10/08, AARP response) | 15 | 2 |
13.3% |
| New Hampshire Republican Debate (Fox News, 1/6/08, AARP response) | 10 | 2 |
20% |
| New Hampshire Democratic Debate (ABC News, 1/5/08, AARP response) | 9 | 1 |
11.1% |
| New Hampshire Republican Debate (ABC News, 1/5/08, AARP response) | 6 | 1 |
16.7% |
| Iowa Democratic Debate (Des Moines Register, 12/13/07, AARP response) | 20 | 2 |
10% |
|
| Iowa Republican Debate (Des Moines Register, 12/12/07, AARP response) | 19 | 2 |
10.5% |
|
| Florida Republican Debate (Univision, 12/9/07, AARP response) | 19 | 2 |
10.5% |
| Iowa Democratic Debate (NPR, 11/15, AARP response) | 27 | 0 |
0% |
|
| Florida Republican Debate (CNN, 11/28/07, AARP response) | 34 | 3 |
8.8% |
| Nevada Democratic Debate (CNN, 11/15, AARP response) | 29 | 2 |
6.9% |
| New Hampshire Democratic Debate (MSNBC, 10/30, AARP response) | 28 | 8 |
28.6% |
|
| Florida Republican Debate (Fox, 10/21/07, AARP response) | 25 | 7 |
28% |
|
| Michigan Republican Debate (CNBC, 10/9/07, AARP
response) | 34 | 13 |
38.2% |
|
| Maryland Republican Debate (PBS, 9/27/07, AARP response) | 10 | 1 |
10% |
|
| New Hampshire Democratic Debate (NBC News, 9/26/07, AARP response) | 29 | 7 |
24.1% |
|
| Florida Democratic Debate (Univision, 9/9/07, AARP response) | 54 | 9 |
16.6% |
|
| New Hampshire Republican Debate (Fox, 9/5/07, AARP response) | 39 | 0 |
0% |
|
| Iowa Democratic Debate (ABC News, 8/19/07, AARP response) | 12 | 1 |
8.3% |
|
| Iowa Republican Forum (ABC News, 8/5/07, AARP response) | 28 | 5 |
17.9% |
|
| South Carolina Democratic Debate (CNN/YouTube, 7/23/07) | 39 | 9 |
23.1% |
|
| Democratic Forum (PBS, 6/28/07) | 8 | 1 |
12.5% |
|
| New Hampshire Republican Debate (CNN, 6/5/07) | 43 | 4 |
9.3% |
| New Hampshire Democratic Debate (CNN, 6/3/07) | 28 | 2 |
7.1% |
| South Carolina Republican Debate (Fox, 5/15/07) | 50 | 2 |
4.0% |
| California Republican Debate (MSNBC, 5/3/07) | 69 | 3 |
4.3% |
| South Carolina Democratic Debate (MSNBC, 4/26/07) | 60 | 5 |
8.3% |
* This column lists the number of questions that cover Divided We Fail (DWF) issues in the areas of health care and financial security.
