{"id":56871,"date":"2016-03-20T16:05:39","date_gmt":"2016-03-20T16:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2016\/03\/20\/how-much-has-national-security-shaped-the-presidential-debates-here-are-the-numbers\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:27:44","slug":"how-much-has-national-security-shaped-the-presidential-debates-here-are-the-numbers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/2016\/03\/20\/how-much-has-national-security-shaped-the-presidential-debates-here-are-the-numbers\/","title":{"rendered":"How much has national security shaped the presidential debates? Here are the numbers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

To date, the 2016 presidential campaign so far <\/span>has included boasted <\/span>20 debates, 12 for Republicans and 8 for Democrats, with\u00a036 moderators questioning the candidates for more than 43 hours on national television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Over <\/span>those events, the top 16 candidates have spoken totaled <\/span>more than 320,000 words. That’s about\u00a0roughly <\/span>the length of a typical “Game of Thrones” novel.\u00a0Have they said Whether they\u2019ve said <\/span>enough of substance? That’s still up for debate<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With debate season potentially over for the time being now<\/span>, <\/span>Military Times analyzed\u00a0each of the 20 debate transcripts to understand how frequently\u00a0here\u2019s a look back at the frequency with which of <\/span>key military and national security issues have been addressed during these events during <\/span>from the past <\/span>eight Democratic and 12 Republican events<\/span>. A\u00a021st debate, scheduled for\u00a0Utah on\u00a0<\/span>Monday in Utah, was canceled after several candidates said they\u00a0planned to skip it\u00a0the event<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With debate season over for now, here’s where the numbers stand:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

74 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mentions of \u2666\u00a0Times GOP candidates have used <\/span>the phrase “commander in chief” by GOP candidates.\u00a0Democrats have said it totaled <\/span>only nine times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

24\u00bd<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Average mentions of “war” at each debate. “Peace” averages only two mentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Questions about military veterans asked\u00a0by the debates’ moderators. There have been a total of\u00a0about U.S. veterans. \u00a0at the debates, out of <\/span>1,444 questions asked. For comparison, the moderators have asked 46 questions about Syria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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** ADDS NAME OF FATHER AT LEFT ** Craig Remsburg, father of Army Ranger Sgt.1st Class Cory Remsburg, center, watches as his son acknowledges applause from first lady Michelle Obama and others during President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday Jan. 28, 2014. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sgt.1st Class Cory Remsburg, an Army Ranger severely wounded by an IED in Afghanistan, flashes a thumbs up during the 2014 State of the Union address.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: J. Scott Applewhite, AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

11<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instances in which\u00a0GOP front runner Donald Trump has said “we don’t win anymore” in reference to the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

56 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The difference between overall mentions of\u00a0\u2666\u00a0Difference in candidate mentions of <\/span>China (178) and Russia (122).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a leaders of BRICS meeting prior the G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015. (AP Photo\/Alexander Zemlianichenko)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping last November in Turkey.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Alexander Zemlianichenko, AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instances in which Democratic front runner\u00a0\u2666\u00a0Times <\/span>Hillary Clinton has mentioned Ash Carter. She is\u00a0the only candidate to mention the current defense secretary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Defense Secretary Ash Carter testifies before the House Appropriations subcommittee on the president’s 2017 budget during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016. The U.S. military has launched a newly aggressive campaign of cyberattacks against Islamic State militants, targeting the group\u0092s abilities to use social media and the Internet to recruit fighters and inspire followers, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The surge of computer-based military operations by U.S. Cyber Command began shortly after Carter prodded commanders at Fort Meade, Maryland, last month to ramp up the fight against the Islamic State group on the cyber front. (AP Photo\/Susan Walsh)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Defense Secretary Ash Carter testifies before the House Appropriations subcommittee Feb. 25.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Susan Walsh, AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

351<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

References to the Islamic State group \u2014 alternately known as\u00a0ISIS and\u00a0ISIL \u2014 by all candidates. The Republicans accounted for 249 of those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mentions of waterboarding in the GOP debates. The Democrats have not mentioned it once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this Feb. 2, 2016 photo, a flag waves insideCamp 6 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After 14 years, the detention center appears to be winding down despite opposition in Congress to President Barack Obama\u0092s intent to close the facility and confine the remaining prisoners someplace else. A military task force of 2,000 is now devoted to holding just 91 men, a number expected to drop by a third this summer. (AP Photo\/Ben Fox)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The American flag waves inside the U.S. military’s detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Ben Fox\/AP<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

103<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

References to Instances \u2666\u00a0Times Bernie Sanders has referenced <\/span>“Wall Street” by Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instances Times <\/span>per debate in which the Democrats mentioned “Iraq” or\u00a0“Iraqis.” The GOP events average about just over <\/span>six.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Iraqi soldiers assigned to the Iraqi Junior Leaders Course (JLC) stack up against a building during an exercise at Camp Taji, Iraq, Feb. 4, 2016. The training helps JLC soldiers on proper methods of engaging the enemy during the ongoing fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Through advise and assist and build partner capacity missions, the Combined Joint Task Force \u2013 Operation Inherent Resolve\u2019s multinational Coalition has trained more than 18,000 Iraqi security force personnel to defeat ISIL. A Coalition of nations have joined together to enable Iraqi forces to counter ISIL, reestablish Iraq\u2019s borders, and re-take lost terrain, thereby restoring regional stability and security. (U.S. Army Photo by Spc. William Lockwood\/Released)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Iraqi soldiers stack up during an exercise at Camp Taji in February.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Spc. William Lockwood, Combined Joint Task Force – Oper<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instances \u2666\u00a0Times <\/span>per debate in which the Democrats mentioned Afghanistan. The GOP events average about just over <\/span>one.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/atype-video-jwplayer>
Gen. John Nicholson speaks during a change of command in Kabul.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

286<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Instances \u2666\u00a0Occurrences <\/span>of the candidates talking over each other during at <\/span>the debates. The Republican candidates accounted for 78 percent of those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

30<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

References to the U.S. Army \u2666\u00a0Times candidates have said “Army<\/span>,“<\/span> the most of any the <\/span>services<\/span>. The Air Force had 18 mentions. The\u00a0Marine Corps had 16. The Navy had 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Army Master Sgt. Alejandro J. Arroyo (front), the G3 Operations noncommissioned officer in charge for the 143rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), renders a salute as the “Star-Spangled Banner” plays during the 76th annual Gatesville Riding Club Rodeo held Aug. 15, 2013, in Gatesville, Texas. Arroyo and scores of other soldiers from the 143rd ESC received free admission to this uniquely American tradition that included various events from barrel racing to bull riding. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. John L. Carkeet IV, 143rd ESC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Soldiers salute during the “Star Spangled Banner.”<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo Credit: Sgt. John Carkeet IV, U.S. Army<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

0 <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The number of candidates left in the race who served in the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at <\/em>lshane@militarytimes.com<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If I'm elected President, our military will have a Commander in Chief who will allow it to do its job! https:\/\/t.co\/tapvkPwehB<\/a> #GOPDebate<\/a><\/p>— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) March 11, 2016<\/a><\/blockquote>