Lessons in Civility from Obama

President Obama’s style and grace in debate provides a positive example that Taiwanese politicians can learn from.

1. Treat your opponent like a person. We love to vilify our opponents, but in the end this only reveals a lack of self-confidence. Obama, on the other hand, treats his opponents as people, and addresses them as such. During the presidential debates, Mrs. Clinton and McCain referred to Obama in the third person as “him” or “Senator Obama” while he stood off to the side, whereas Obama addressed his opponents as “you,” “Hillary” or “John.” Audiences felt that Obama’s habit of personally addressing opponents and directly communicating with them conveyed geniality and confidence.

2. Don’t make it personal. It’s important to focus on the issue of the debate instead of sinking to personal attacks, which only makes one appear petty. During the election campaigns, when the media exposed that Palin’s 17-year-old daughter was pregnant out of wedlock, Obama chose to empathize rather than capitalize on the issue, saying, “My mother got pregnant with me when she was only 18.”

3. Don’t put labels on others. Politicians love to quote things out of context or blow an insignificant issue out of proportion, but this only succeeds in deceiving a minority of the people and causing distrust among those who can see through such tricks. During a debate, Mrs. Clinton said, “Senator Obama, it’s hard to have a straight talk with you because you’ve never taken responsibility for a single vote you cast in the Senate.”* That’s an unfair label — Mrs. Clinton was booed down by the audience before Obama even responded.

4. Don’t avoid the question. When asked by reporters whether or not she regretted supporting the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Mrs. Clinton evaded the question by replying “I regret that Bush misled us,”* “at the time, I was acting out of concern for America’s long-term interests,”* and “if we knew then what we know now… I certainly wouldn’t have voted that way.” All true, but still avoiding the question nonetheless.

5. Respect your opponent’s time. One admirable quality of Mrs. Clinton was her ability to respect Obama and gracefully step down to accept a position as secretary of state after losing the election. In February, after learning that her husband was being operated on for a heart attack, she chose to still attend her weekly meeting with Obama, quietly letting him finish what he had to say. When her special plane broke down in the Middle East, she boarded a military plane instead, just to make sure to attend her weekly meeting with the president.

6. Launch a strong counteroffensive. When arguing for a cause, one must be clear and forceful, not overly courteous. When an opponent says something wrong or distorts the truth, one must be prepared to counter in a clear, cool-headed way. During a debate, McCain said that Obama’s policies would heavily tax small- and medium-sized businesses, making the American dream unattainable. What an assumption! Obama immediately replied, “I’m afraid Senator McCain has been watching too many of his own election campaign ads and has confused me with his own policies.”* He then went on to explain the difference in their stances and how his would not raise taxes.

7. It’s O.K. to commend an opponent. When opponents debate on the grounds of reason rather than ideology, they should certainly have things in common. During his debates with McCain, Obama would agree at appropriate times, which might upset party hardliners, but won respect from the more level-headed for objectivity.

8. Have a little sense of humor. No doubt, political debates are a serious affair, but a little humor can enhance one’s style. During the Democratic Party debates, the moderator questioned Mrs. Clinton, “Polls show that people find Obama more friendly and likable. How do you feel about that?” to which she deliberately acted hurt, replying, “Well, that hurts my feelings… Hes very likable… I don’t think I’m that bad.” Off to the side, Obama humorously put in, “You’re likable enough, Hillary!” People are more interested in impromptu interactions and banter such as this, which displays emotion, rather than listening to candidates repeat issues they’ve heard a hundred times already.

In conclusion, I hope that in the future Taiwan’s politicians will learn a better way to conduct themselves and treat opponents during debates.

*Editor’s Note: The quotations, accurately translated, could not be verified.