The presidential debates are surrounded by suspense and drama, as millions of Americans tune in to watch the next leader of the free world in action. But do the debates influence the way we vote, have presidential candidates always participated in debates, and what can we expect this year?

 

ASK DR. WATSON

Have there always been presidential debates?

No. There were no presidential debates, as we know them, until recently. Candidates avoided debating by claiming that such debates would diminish the image of the office. Nor did the media believe it was necessary to demand that the candidates debate.

Why?

Historically, one of the reasons for not having debates was the 1934 Communication Act. This good-intentioned piece of legislation required all candidates for office be given "equal time" by the press. Accordingly, if the two major party candidates debated, all the third-party candidates would also have to be invited. At times there have been over a dozen third parties in the running.

When was the first presidential debate?

The first debate among the party nominees in modern times was in 1960 and featured John F. Kennedy against Richard Nixon. However, there were no presidential debates in 1964, 1968, and 1972. Debates resumed in 1976 and have been held every four years since then.

What about debates during the Primary campaign?

The Republican candidates participated in a primary debate in 1948. Thomas Dewey eventually won the Republican nomination that year but he never debated Harry Truman, the sitting president. In 1956 it was the Democrats who had a primary debate, but there was no debate between the Democratic nominee, Adlai Stevenson, and President Dwight Eisenhower that year. In recent presidential primary campaigns there have been multiple debates. This year the Democrats held over 20 debates, which is a record.

When are the debates this year?

There are three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate scheduled for this fall. The presidential debates will be on September 26 (at the University of Mississippi in Oxford), October 7 (at Belmont University in Nashville), and October 15 (at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York). The vice presidential debate will be on October 2 at Washington University in St. Louis.

What will be the format for this year's debates?

All of the debates will be 90 minutes long and each will have a single moderator. The second presidential debate will include a town hall format featuring questions from both the live audience and online viewers. The first debate will focus on domestic policy and the third debate on foreign policy.

Who determines how many debates there will be?

In 1987 the Commission on Presidential Debates was established as a non-profit, non-partisan organization, charged with sponsoring and producing the presidential debates. Prior to 1987 the League of Women Voters sponsored and organized the debates.

Have third-party nominees participated in the debates?

Some "minor" party candidates have participated. For instance, in 1980 John Anderson debated Ronald Reagan, the Republican nominee (Carter declined the invitation to debate). In 1992, the Reform Party nominee, Ross Perot, participated in all three debates with his Democratic and Republican competitors. Likewise, Perot's vice presidential nominee, Admiral James Stockdale, participated in the VP debate.

Why haven't recent debates featured third-party nominees?

The rules now require that, to be eligible to debate, third-party candidates must pas the threshold of 15 percent in opinion polls. If the same rule was in effect in 1992, Perot would not have been able to participate in the debates. Additionally, third-party candidates must appear on ballots in enough states to be able, hypothetically, to win the Electoral College. Such rules make it difficult for third-party candidates to be invited to the debates.

MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN DEBATES

Did you know…

Looks matter!

The 1960 debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon was nationally televised. Interestingly, those who watched the debate on television felt that Kennedy had won, whereas those listening on the radio gave the debate to Nixon. What explains the difference? The visual image. Kennedy wore tailored suits and was a natural in front of a camera, coming across as calm and collected. This contrasted him with Nixon who appeared uncomfortable and, under the hot studio lights, looked pasty and sweaty. The fact that the debate was televised might have made the difference in the outcome for what was one of the closest presidential elections in history.

He said WHAT?

President Gerald Ford uttered one of the most famous gaffes during his 1976 debate against Jimmy Carter. In response to a question about the Cold War Ford stated, "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford Administration!" Of course, the statement was the exact opposite of the truth. When asked by one of the moderators to clarify his position, Ford stumbled through a list of all the countries in Eastern Europe who, according to him, probably didn't think they were under Communist control. Carter called Ford on the gaffe, the audience was in shock, and that November Ford lost a very tight election.

Saved by the zinger

Ronald Reagan was anything but impressive in the first debate in 1984. Press coverage of the debate described the President as tired and confused. Not surprisingly, the oldest president in history was asked during the next debate whether his age was a factor. Reagan turned the question – and public support – in his favor when he chuckled, "I want you to know that also 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."

The smack down!

George Bush's selection of Dan Quayle as his running mate in 1988 was immediately seen as a mistake. The tongue-tied, bumbling Senator became a liability for Bush, especially during the vice presidential debate. During the debate, Quayle tried to quiet criticism that he wasn't ready for prime time, boasting "I have far more experience than many who sought the office of vice president. I have as much experience in Congress as John Kennedy when he sought the presidency." However, Quayle's opponent, Lloyd Bensten of Texas, shot back, "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy!" A shell-shocked Quayle retorted, "That was really uncalled for, Senator." But Bensten pointed out, "You're the one who was making the comparison, Senator.

Striking out

The 1988 Democratic nominee, Michael Dukakis, despite being a very successful governor of Massachusetts, was dogged by criticism that he was an unemotional "ice man." Dukakis missed a golden opportunity to appear passionate during the debates when he was asked a softball question involving the case of an African American inmate in his state who, after being paroled, went on a violent crime spree. The Governor's opponent had used the case to paint him as "soft on crime." The question asked by CNN anchor, Bernard Shaw, was "Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?" Rather than responding with an emotional defense of his wife, which was what the public desired, Dukakis stated blandly, "No, I don't, Bernard. And I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life…" He continued with a technically correct, albeit technocratic, answer.

Making history

The high water mark in debate history was the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858. From August through October, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held seven famous debates that would decide more than a Senate seat. They shaped the nation's views on the most pressing issue of the day – slavery – and factored into the presidential election of 1860. Even though Lincoln lost that race, the people did not forget his performance and, two years later, elected him president. But, what history often fails to note is that Lincoln baited his opponent into debating him by heckling Douglas at speeches. The contrast between the two men was almost comical: Douglas was short, round, favored slavery, and was the most famous orator of his time; Lincoln was tall, thin, a critic of slavery, and was a newcomer on the scene. Plus, the debates were personal. Both men had competed for Mary Todd's hand in marriage.