Tanner: The public should demand political debates before any election. Voters are better able to choose the candidat...

SamA on February 12, 2020

Hello @shafieiava,

Let's take a look at B and D and discuss how each person would respond.

B. A voter who watches a political debate will likely be better able, as a result, to determine which candidate is more qualified for office.

We can say with certainty that Tanner agrees with this. He says so specifically. His argument that the public should demand debates before elections is based on the idea that it will help them choose the candidate best suited for office.

Does Saldana disagree with this? Yes. She says, "Thus, [debates] don't really help voters determine which candidate is most qualified for office."

We have clear agreement from Tannor, and clear disagreement from Saldana, which is what makes B correct.

What is wrong with D?

D. The candidates with the best debating skills are the ones who are most qualified for the political offices for which they are running.

Does Tanner ever say this? Not exactly. He doesn't even say that the winner of the debate is the more qualified one. He is simply arguing that the process of watching a serious debate makes the voters better able to decide. He might agree with D or he might not.

It seems like Saldana would disagree with D. She is arguing that the better debater is not always the one more qualified for the position.

It is possible that Tanner and Saldana both disagree with D, which is why it is incorrect.

On this type of question, make sure to focus on what each person says specifically. If we select D, it means that we are speculating about what Tanner believes. Remember to look at each argument separately. Don't bring elements from one argument into the other.