Through the video clips below, consider how political debates have evolved—both the candidates' approaches and the staging of these televised events—in the last decades. You will also investigate how specific moments in debate history have impacted elections.
Kennedy-Nixon                         Bentsen-Quayle
Ford-Carter                              Bush-Dukakis
Carter-Reagan                          Bush-Clinton-Perot


Topics & Standards Covered: elections, campaigns, mass media, political communication, political parties, public agenda, public policy.  
 Related Lesson:  Debate Watch 2004

	On September 26, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Vice President Richard Nixon participated in the first-ever televised presidential debate. It served as a precedent for all others to come. While seventy million Americans viewed this debate on television, many others still tuned in through the radio. History claims that more television viewers believed Kennedy won, while many radio listeners thought Nixon did. Watch Clip (4 min.) | Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. What was the topic discussed in this clip? Which candidate gave the stronger response? Explain your answer. 2. In your opinion, which candidate appeared to be more comfortable on camera? Which candidate was more appealing to the camera? Explain the basis of your answer. 3. Do you think the role television played in the debates made a difference in the outcome of the 1960 election?

	At the onset of the 1976 campaign, Governor Jimmy Carter had a clear lead over incumbent President Gerald Ford. However, by the time of the debates, Governor Carter had slipped in the polls. During the second of three debates Ford claimed, "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford Administration." Carter responded by challenging him to persuade Polish Americans—Poland was then part of the Soviet Bloc—that they were not under Soviet domination. Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. Do you think President Ford's comments about this issue hurt his campaign? As a voter, what would your reaction have been? Was his response a blunder, or possibly misinterpreted? 2. From this clip, do you think either candidate outperformed the other?

	The only debate during the 1980 presidential election campaign occurred between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan one week prior to Election Day. The candidates debated on issues such as the Iran hostage situation, arms control, the energy crisis, social security, and other social programs. When President Carter challenged his opponent on his medicare position, former Governor Reagan responded, "There you go again," then attacked the President on his stance. Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. How would you distinguish the two candidates from one another (other than their political parties)? Think about not only issues and political parties, but also appearances, mannerisms, careers, and experiences in public service. 2. Why were Ronald Reagan's words "There you go again" so memorable? How did they influence the outcome of the debate?

	In 1988, Senator Dan Quayle (R-IN) and Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX) were both running for the vice presidency. During a debate, Senator Quayle, forty-one years old, was questioned about whether his experience prepared him for assuming the role of president, if necessary. In his effort to legitimize his qualifications, Senator Quayle compared his experiences to those Senator John F. Kennedy had in 1960 when he ran for president. Senator Bentsen criticized Senator Quayle's comparison. Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. Was Dan Quayle's response about his qualifications and experiences persuasive? 2. Was Lloyd Bentsen's retort to Senator Quayle persuasive? 3. What did you learn about the candidates through this exchange?

	In the 1988 debates Governor Michael Dukakis's (D-MA) campaign team recognized the importance of physical appearances. For this reason, they sought to lessen the height difference between their candidate and his taller opponent, President George H.W. Bush. Watch the clip below and examine whether or not such behind-the-scenes preparation affected the debate. Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. What provisions were made for Governor Dukakis in his debate with President Bush? 2. In your opinion, did Governor Dukakis answer the question that was presented to him? 3. What was your impression of the response given by Governor Dukakis in the debate clip?

	President George H.W. Bush (R), Governor Bill Clinton (D-AR), and businessman Ross Perot (I) all participated in the second debate of the 1992 presidential election. This was the first time in debate history the town-hall format was used, a format which is common in today's debates. Some historians claim that the informal setting made President Bush, who periodically glanced at his watch during the debate, uncomfortable. Read Debate Transcript Questions for Analysis 1. Do you think the town-hall format affected the candidates? Do you think this portion of the debate impacted voters? 2. What other features of the setting reinforce the unadorned town-hall atmosphere? Do you think this venue is valuable to the debates?

	Analysis Questions 1. What can voters learn from debates that they can't learn in other settings? 2. Given that the only public debates among presidential candidates before 1960 occurred in 1948 and 1956, and given that there were no presidential debates between 1960 and 1976, how important do you think debates are to the election process? 3. How has the face of the presidential debates changed over time? How much attention is paid to debates among voters? among candidates? 4. How many presidential debates should the candidates have ideally in order to give voters an adequate understanding of their views? Explain.