YOU SAID:
were doing a presidential debate today
INTO JAPANESE
今日大統領の議論をしていた
BACK INTO ENGLISH
I was discussing the president today
INTO JAPANESE
今日大統領について話していました
BACK INTO ENGLISH
I was talking about the president today.
INTO JAPANESE
今日は大統領について話していました。
BACK INTO ENGLISH
I was talking about the president today.
That didn't even make that much sense in English.