Tanner: The public should demand political debates before any election  Voters are better able to choose the candidate best suited for office if they watch the candidates seriously debate one another  Saldana: Political debates almost always benefit the candidate who has the better debating skills
Thus, they don' t really help voters determine which candidate is most qualified for office
The candidates with the best debating skills are the ones who are most qualified for the political offices for which they are running.