Live presidential debates are an intoxicating mix of extremely arrange political theater and unscripted moments of potentially career - ending gleefulness . improbably , as entertaining as live debates are , the first boldness - to - face presidential argumentation in American history did n’t find until Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy ’s famous televise debates in 1960 . Before that , the only truly memorable argument were the rhetorical battle royal stag betweenAbraham Lincolnand Stephen Douglas for an Illinois senate seat [ root : Minow ] .
Today , we ’re a country of debate junkie . There were no fewer than 20 televise debates during the Republican main season of the 2012 elections . But away from a few awesomely unenviable moments – Rick Perry ’s epic psyche frost topping the leaning – most were dreadfully uneventful . To find those truly great debate moment , we had to reach back into the archives .
We begin our list of the five most famous and ill-famed moments in presidential debate history with a fiery telecast central that may have single - handedly launchedRonald Reaganinto the Oval Office .
5: Reagan’s Microphone Moment
The problem was that the Nashua Telegraph did n’t want the other candidates on stage , and neither did the Bush campaign . When debate night get in , tension came to a head in a small high school gym pack with 2,000 unsatisfied spectator pump . Fifteen minutes after the debate was supposed to start , Bush took the stage follow by a visibly frustrated Reagan leading the four " uninvited " prospect [ source : NBC News ] .
When the editor of the Nashua Telegraph , Jon Breen , start to explain therules of the debate– the four extra nominee would n’t be allowed to answer question , but only to give a closing statement – Reagan break up him . Breen would have none of it , calling out , " Would the sound world please grow Mr. Reagan ’s mic off for the instant ? "
The solution was pandemonium . The crew roared its dislike , and Reagan lift to his feet , momently look as if he was going to stagnate the minuscule - town editor . Instead , he pluck up the mic . " Is this on ? " At that instant , he had the hearing in his palm tree of his script . When Breen asked again that the mic be turn off , Reagan bend to him and famously barked , " I ’m paying for this mike , Mr. Green ! " ( Calling him the haywire name was double insulting . ) The crowd erupted and the disputation was over before it start out .
Looking back on his Nashua moment , Reagan would afterward say , " I may have won the debate , the primary – and the nominating speech – aright there . " [ origin : University of Chicago Press ] .
4: Ford’s Poland Problem
There was a meter not long ago when American presidential prospect were gestate to have a broad and inscrutable clasp of foreign intimacy , and perhaps more shocking , so were the American people . So when Gerald Ford made a strong statement in a 1976 debate with Jimmy Carter that Eastern Europe was no longer under communist domination , even the non - societal study teachers in the interview make out that he was wildly wrong .
The moderator opened the debate by stating that"President Ford and Governor Carter do not have bank note or prepared remarks with them this even , " which might explain how Ford could have misguided nations that had been under direct Soviet ascendence since the end of World War II – nation like Poland , Yugoslavia and Romania – for " independent , autonomous " states [ source : The Miller Center ] .
To Ford ’s citation , a close look at the copy of the debate shows that he did n’t really signify to say that these country weren’tcommunist . That would have been factually ridiculous . What he meant to say is that they were n’t under the thumb of the Soviet Union , which was only politically cockeyed . Unfortunately for Ford , his Polish " joke " provided further proof to an already doubting public that the President was dispiritedly out of touch .
3: Gore Proves That Sighs Matter
Despite winning a legal age of the democratic balloting in 2000 , Al Gore never really had a opportunity at the presidency . While his insurance points were faultless , he came across to many Americans – even his staunchest supporters – as aloof , eggheady and hazardously boring . Contrast Gore ’s expressive style with his resister George W. Bush , whose shocking lack of intellectual acuity was more than pay by his regular - guy Texas swagger and his clear aversion for grind from Tennessee .
Before the first presidential debate in October 2000 , Gore was widely bode to cruise to an easy victory against Bush the Younger . But Gore ’s painful performance during that first debate alter the strain of the presidential race for good . First of all , Gore kept whine about his " lockbox " insurance policy forSocial Securityand Medicare , which became instant fodder for " Saturday Night Live . "
And then came the suspiration – clearly audible , exasperated , deeply fretful sigh that hissed from Gore ’s mouth every time Bush made another of his fact - ish statements . With each sigh , Gore sounded more and more like the " overbearing know - it - all " impersonation he was doomed to become [ generator : Berke ] . In the end , the sighs had it , and we had eight yr of W.
2: Nixon’s Not-Ready-for-TV Moment
From our vantage compass point more than 40 years later , it ’s hard to imagine that John F. Kennedy was consider the clear-cut underdog in his 1960 slipstream against Richard Nixon . But Kennedy was a relatively strange and unproven senator , and Nixon was a veteran congressman and vice chair of these United States of America under Dwight D. Eisenhower . But Kennedy ’s fortunes changed considerably after the two man made political history by take part in the very first live telecast presidential debate .
The hard truth about television is that it ’s a culture medium that favors physical attractiveness , poise under pressure sensation and the eccentric of body language that ray self - confidence . Nixon , already at a disadvantage to Kennedy in the look section , arrived in New York for the debatesuffering from the fluand 20 Irish pound ( 9 kilograms ) underweight after a recent stretch in the hospital [ root : Cunningham ] . Kennedy , on the other hand , had just returned from campaigning in California and looked sixpence and more virile than ever .
Even in the grainy , black - and - white footage from that first debate , you could clearly see poor Nixon ’s fizzle sweat . One here and now of the argumentation is particularly squelch for Nixon . Kennedy , unaided by notes , casually delivers a cordial but veer comparison of the choice before the American people : not between two valet de chambre , but between two parties with strongly opposing time value . Kennedy ends by say , " I think Mr. Nixon is an effective drawing card of his political party . I go for he would cede me the same . The question before us is : Which peak of view and which political party do we want to lead the United States ? "
Right at that moment , the camera trend from a finale - up of the tanned New England playboy to a pale , ashen Nixon wincing in his chair . " Mr. Nixon , would you like to comment on that statement ? " asks the moderator . " I have no comment , " sound out Nixon , sweaty and defeated .
1: Bentsen Goes Quayle Hunting
Lloyd Bentsen is n’t on the button a household name , but back in 1988 , the late senator from Texas deliver arguably the most devastating telephone circuit in presidential debate chronicle . To be exact , this was a frailty presidential debate between Bentsen , who shared the ticket with Democratic presidential wannabe Michael Dukakis , and Dan Quayle , the running mate of George H.W. Bush .
Quayle was yet to become the full - blow slug line of later yr ( think back " potatoe ? " ) , but many Americans had already caught wind of the young senator ’s penchant for nonsensical statements and looked forward to his debate debut with great anticipation .
The crowning mo of the debate descend after Quayle defend his qualification for the office by stating that he had as much Congressional experience as John F. Kennedy when he ran for chair [ source : University of Chicago Press ] . When you watch the clip , you could see the hoar - haired Bentsen twitch with a mix of disgust and delight . Quayle was in his crosshairs . All he had to do was pull the trigger .
" Senator , " Bentsen reply , secure Quayle with a steely stare . " I serve with Jack Kennedy . I acknowledge Jack Kennedy . Jack Kennedy was a ally of mine . [ HUGE , AWESOME PAUSE ] Senator , you ’re no Jack Kennedy . " Boom !
The saddest part of the whole humbling function is that when the crew last tranquillize down after going bananas for Bentsen , a deflated Quayle turns to Bentsen and whimper , " That was really uncalled for , senator . " You almost sense drab for the guy rope . But then again , he got to be thevice president of the United States(with his ownonline selective information portal ) , while Lloyd Bentsen is only remember as that old guy who ate Dan Quayle ’s soul on live TV .
For lots more information on effective and/or offensive campaign advertizement and political contestation , research the related link on the next varlet .
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The 1988 election was the first election I can recollect as a semi - politically witting tween . And that exchange between Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle was my first unveiling to the magnificent superfluity of the live presidential debate . alive boob tube is brute . These poor guys and gal have nowhere to enshroud . I make merriment of Rick Perry ’s inability to remember the names of the three Union agencies he ’d ruin as president , but if I was stand behind a reading desk on national TV with Jim Lehrer star at me with his nervous bleak eyes , I ’d be hard - bid to think the names of my shaver . Then again , no one forced these people to become political candidates , and most of them – even the losers – will go on to become rich and famous . So I take it all back . Bring the pain !
