"Tonight is the first of three scheduled Presidential debates between Democratic incumbent-President James Carter of Georgia-and Republican challenger-Senator James Buckley of New York, here in Cleveland, Ohio. This debate will concern social and economic domestic policy.
"I'd like to introduce the panel of questioners selected: Dave Brinkley of NBC News, Dan Rather of CBS News, Peter Jennings of ABC News. The candidates will be given one minute to answer each question. The candidates will present opening statements, and at the end will present closing statements-a flip of the coin has determined Senator Buckley will speak first-two minutes, Senator."
"First off, I'd like to thank the League of Women Voters for organizing the debate, and all other involved here. It's no doubt that the present state of America constitutes nothing less than a crisis-prices are rising, the value of the dollar dropping, jobs are harder and harder to be found. My opponent has opted to raise taxes on working Americans, create more regulations on American businesses, and only hurt the potential for economic growth. It's time that the people themselves take charge of this economy, so let 1980 be that time."
"Thank you, Senator-President Carter, your opening statement?"
"The economy is not doing well, and I've been open and transparent when it comes to that issue-and all other issues. However, this is not the first recession in American history, and I think that precedents teach us that government action-in proportion-brings Americans back to the offices and the factories and the farms. I think that this will not bring an immediate solution, but I think that it is the most smart solution, and I hope Americans will agree that government still has a purpose in these issues."
"Thank you, Mr President-Mr Brinkley, your question?"
"Senator Buckley, can you please inform our viewers how do you plan to cut taxes, as the Republican Party has prompted?"
"We cannot cut taxes on the first day of any Administration, but I do plan to push through legislation that will initiate an across the board tax cut-income, corporate, estate-of five percent by third quarter, 1982. This will give relief to lower income and middle income Americans, and will also allow businesses to focus on creating new employment opportunities."
"President Carter, your response?"
"Senator Buckley here acts on the idea that these businesses, with less taxes, will choose to hire more workers-by paying less taxes, they will more likely opt to increase their profit shares, their balance sheets and stock prices and such. These cuts will hardly help restore economic growth."
"President Carter here simply does not understand that the plan I'm proposing is part tax cuts, but also part cutting regulations which restrict businesses from creating jobs. The President is assuming that businesses are happy with declining consumption, with higher prices-these policies of your Administration aren't benefiting corporate Americans or any other group of Americans."
"I'm sorry, we have to move on. Mr Rather, your question?"
"President Carter, as Senator Buckley spoke just now, your Administration has implemented regulations-on energy. Oil prices are up, what would you do to combat this problem facing Americans?"
"Well, I think in the long term it won't do good for Americans to simply drill for oil. We need to become less dependent on non-renewable fuels, and that means investing more in solar power, in hydroelectric power, in other clean energy sources. It may be expensive for 1980, but once we integrate it into our infrastructure it'll cost less."
"My opponent has invested in other energy sources beside oil. They haven't worked since 1977, I doubt they'll work better in 1981 or 1982 or 1983, and later on. We need to become less dependent on Iranian and Saudi oil, and rebuild our oil industry here, in America. We need to let Americans find new wealth, new resources, and make America economically self-reliable."
"Senator Buckley would destroy our natural parks, our atmosphere, the future of our children so that profits will go to the corporate oil companies. Equipment will make it that they don't need to hire more people, fire some people, and we'll end up with unemployment and more problems."
"Oil is a necessary source of fuel-your ways have been tried, and I'm sure that we'll keep on trying, but this is the most cost-effective source now, and we need to let the American people use it. It's time that the prices drop!"
