Editorial: Debate night

After a long and divisive campaign, the presidential election begins in earnest today.

There has rarely been a presidential choice like the one facing Americans this year.

As Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump prepare to square off tonight in the first presidential debate, both candidates have favorability ratings below 50 percent. Never before has the American public viewed the major party candidates with such skepticism and distrust. And that view has set in motion a campaign long on criticism, short on vision.

Let’s hope that changes tonight. Let’s hope that the first debate offers insight into what each candidate will do if elected rather than more negative attacks on each other.

Tonight’s debate at Hofstra University in New York starts at 8 p.m. Central and will be moderated by NBC News anchor Lester Holt. It will be carried live by all major television networks and cable news networks and will be live streamed by YouTube, Facebook and other social media channels.

Nielsen Ratings Service reports the most-watched presidential debate in history was the single debate in 1980 between Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat Jimmy Carter, when nearly 81 million people tuned in. Tonight’s audience is expected to top that and as many as 100 million people are expected to watch.

That’s good. All elections should enjoy such engagement. And it provides a unique opportunity for the candidates and their campaigns to compete for votes, rather than encourage votes against their opponents.

There are critical social and economic issues facing the country. The threat of terrorism, at home and abroad, has never been greater. Racial unrest has fueled protests around the nation. Congress has been defined by inaction, leaving serious economic issues unresolved. To date, the 2016 presidential campaign has offered very little in the way of answers.

Let’s hope Holt can begin to change that tonight.

Holt has chosen as topics for the debate America’s Direction, Achieving Prosperity and Securing America. The debate will be divided into six time segments of 15 minutes each. Holt will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. Candidates will then have an opportunity to respond to each other. Holt will use the balance of the time for a deeper discussion of the topic.

The presidential election begins in earnest tonight. With a record audience watching, the candidates have their best opportunity yet to lay out their visions for the country and the specific policies they will advocate to achieve those visions. Perhaps never before has a debate of such substance been so desperately needed.