by Ian Tartt
Debates have become a staple of presidential elections. In all the years the debates have been held, some moments stand out more than others. Whether good or bad, here are the top five memorable moments from presidential debates.
1. Made for TV
On September 26, 1960, presidential candidates John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon squared off in the first ever televised presidential debate. Unlike today’s debates, which become more circus-like every election it seems, this debate was relatively boring in comparison. Both men knew a lot about the subjects they discussed, they were very straightforward in their answers, and made virtually no attempt to attack each other. Kennedy, who had taken some time to rest up and wear a bit of makeup before the debate, was considered the winner by those who watched it on television. Nixon had been working hard that day and appeared tired and nervous, although those listening on the radio considered him to have won. The two debated several more times that year, although the presidential debate did not become a standard election event until 1976.
2. Ford Stumbles
In 1976, Jimmy Carter was the general election opponent of incumbent President Gerald Ford, who had taken office two years earlier when Richard Nixon resigned. On October 6, Ford said that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration.” Whether he was ignorant or simply mistaken is unclear, but it’s believed that this statement crippled his chances of winning. Sure enough, Carter went on to narrowly win the election and occupy the White House for the next four years.
3. Reagan Turns the Attack Around
The 1984 election saw Ronald Reagan running for his second term against Walter Mondale. Reagan had been suspected of showing early signs of senility around that time due to his appearing slow and confused in contrast to his usual sharp, witty self. In a debate on October 21, Reagan uttered the now-famous line “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.” This both got a good laugh from the audience and showed them that he was in good enough health to continue as president, which he did after winning another term by a massive landslide.
4. Dukakis Misses the Mark
In the 1988 election, Vice President George H.W. Bush ran against Michael Dukakis. Dukakis, a staunch opponent of the death penalty, was asked in the October 13 debate if he would support the death penalty if someone raped and murdered his wife. He responded as such: “No, I don’t, Bernard, and I think you know that I’ve opposed the death penalty during all of my life. I don’t see any evidence that it’s a deterrent and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime.” Although most were not surprised at his opposition, many were taken aback by how casually he replied to such a shocking question. His numbers dropped 7% that night alone, leading many to believe that his answer crushed his campaign.
5. Perot Makes an Impression
The year 1992 featured an anomaly for presidential debates: a three-way debate. Candidates involved included incumbent President George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot. Running as an Independent, Perot was critical both of Bush for violating his pledge to not raise taxes and of Clinton for his support of NAFTA. In a debate on October 15, he described the “giant sucking sound” NAFTA would create by transferring American jobs into Mexico. Despite winning zero states and zero electoral votes, Perot received 19% of the popular vote, which is the largest percentage of the popular vote won by a third party candidate since Theodore Roosevelt ran as a Bull Moose in 1912. And unless Gary Johnson can get into either of the other two presidential debates in 2016, 1992 might be the most recent election year that featured a three-way debate.