A journey into the past

As the United States prepares for the upcoming presidential election in November, all eyes are on the presidential debates between the candidates, which will determine either their popularity and acceptance among voters.

In presidential debates over the years, Republican and Democratic candidates have repeatedly gone head-to-head on television, discussing key political issues and questions of public interest and often taking aim at each other.

As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump faces off against incumbent Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in his first presidential debate next week, it is imperative to look back at the history of presidential debates and all they have entailed over the decades.

Kennedy-Nixon: September 26, 1960

It was the first televised debate of its kind to be broadcast in black and white, and it underscored the importance of a politician’s public image. Republican Richard Nixon appeared set to win the election after serving two terms as vice president under Dwight Eisenhower.

But the debate did not go well for him. Nixon wore no makeup and appeared pale and sweaty in front of more than 66 million viewers, while the young Senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy, appeared tanned and relaxed. While Nixon addressed the moderator, Kennedy looked into the camera and spoke directly to his constituents.

It is disputed to what extent the visual impressions of the debate were expressed, but in any case Kennedy defeated Nixon in the election.

Ford-Carter: October 6, 1976

The first debate between Republican President Gerald Ford and Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter ended in a 27-minute blackout. The second debate did not go well for Ford either, as he made a faux pas that likely cost him the presidency.

At the height of the Cold War, Ford stated that “there was no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never would be under a Ford administration,” even though the Soviet Union had troops stationed throughout the Eastern Bloc.

Six days passed before Ford made a statement. He did not speak of an actual military presence, but rather meant that the morale of the people there had not been broken.

Reagan-Mondale: October 21, 1984

Republican President Ronald Reagan was 73 when he ran for a second term against 56-year-old Walter Mondale, but he used his age to his strength and delivered a witty response that went down in history.

“I will not make age an issue in this campaign,” Reagan said when asked if he was fit for office. “I will not exploit my opponent’s youth and inexperience for political purposes.”

Bush-Clinton-Perot: October 15, 1992

In the second presidential debate of the 1992 election campaign, incumbent President George Bush faced both his future successor Bill Clinton and independent candidate Ross Perot.

While Clinton was speaking to an audience member during a town hall debate, Bush was filmed looking at his watch – a maneuver that cost Bush dearly.

Years later, Bush admitted he hated debates. “Maybe that’s why I watched that – ‘Just 10 More Minutes of This.'”

Obama-Romney: October 22, 2012

During a debate against President Barack Obama, Republican challenger Mitt Romney complained that the U.S. Navy has fewer ships today than it did in 1916.

“Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets because the nature of our military has changed,” Obama replied.

“We have these things called aircraft carriers that planes land on. We have these ships that go underwater, nuclear submarines,” the former president noted, and the comment went viral.

Trump-Clinton: October 9, 2016

The second debate in the 2016 US presidential election campaign between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was particularly heated.

Shortly after releasing a video in which Trump was heard boasting that his fame allowed him to grope women, the Republican billionaire lashed out at his rival’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, accusing him of being “so abusive to women.”

Trump also announced that he would investigate Hillary Clinton for using a private email account during her term as Secretary of State.

“It’s just incredibly good that our country is not run by someone with the temperament of Donald Trump,” Clinton said.

“Because you would be in jail,” Trump replied:

Trump-Biden: September 29, 2020

The first debate of the 2020 presidential election, between Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, degenerated into shouting and insults.

When Trump kept interrupting, Biden snapped, saying, “Will you shut up, man?”

The Democrat also called his opponent a “clown” and “Putin’s puppy.”

Trump, for his part, always avoided the question of whether he would recognize the election results.

The debate moderator, Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, was powerless to control the two candidates and later described his feeling of “desperation.”

Trump-Biden: June 27, 2024

The June debate, organized an unprecedented four months before this year’s November vote, was intended to give the 81-year-old Biden an opportunity to address concerns about his age.

For the Democrat, however, it was a debacle: he repeatedly lost the thread, stared into space and at times spoke incoherently and in a croaking voice.

This dismal performance set the stage for Biden to eventually drop out of the race and pass the baton to Trump’s new challenger, Vice President Harris.