Young Debate Champions Tell Trump and Biden How to Win—or Lose
Donald Trump is unlikely to follow Trisha Tewari’s advice in advance of CNN’s presidential debate Thursday night—but many watching at home would be grateful if he did.
“Hold professionalism and diplomacy at the highest level,” Tewari advises the former president. “Debates are an environment of integrity and respect, and should not deviate from their intended purpose. In order to have a productive debate, both candidates should instill the values of American democracy and try their best to understand one another’s point of view.”
Tewari, 16, knows of what she speaks. She is from Springfield, Missouri, Central Highschool’s Ozark Red team, this year’s World Schools Champions at the National Speech and Debate Tournament hosted by the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA). Tewari and teammates Kwaku Asare-Bawuah, 16, August Keliboeker, 15, Imani Lwali, 16, and Quinn Smith, 17, know how to verbally parry, thrust, and win arguments—but in a crucible of civility and an exchange of ideas, rather than vicious personal insults scraped from the bottom of the barrel.