When President Biden and former President Trump take the debate stage on Thursday, both will be gearing up for verbal gaffes and for words that could make the news.
Such presidential debate moments — the gaffes, the punchlines, the failures and the moments that just plain suck — are likely to go down in history.
In the first televised presidential debate in 1960, a confident Senator John F. Kennedy overwhelmed Vice President Nixon, who was recovering from an illness, sweating and looking messy. In 1992, President George H. W. Bush looked at his watch impatiently as he faced the camera. In 1984, President Reagan eased concerns about his age with a joke — something that is very relevant to both candidates in this election.
Let’s take a look back at the debate moments that helped define the presidential campaign.
“There you go again”: Reagan to Carter, 1980
In 1980, Republican California Governor Reagan faced off against Democratic President Carter.The last debateElection Day is just a week away.
In a lengthy speech, Carter attacked Reagan for his opposition to health insurance. Reagan responded with the now famous line, “There you go again.” This charming retort instantly defused Carter’s tirade. Reporters thought Carter’s speech was over the top, even though the criticism was based on Reagan’s record as governor.
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Reagan used the rebuttal often, using it in several press conferences and during the 1984 presidential debate with former Vice President Walter Mondale.
Ruthlessness and insults: Dukakis’s 1988 comments on Bush and his running mate
In 1988, voters witnessed two memorable debate moments. During a debate between Massachusetts Democratic Governor Michael Dukakis and then-Vice President George H.W. Bush, a Republican, moderator Bernard Shaw asked the governor if he would turn to the White House if his wife, Katie Dukakis, was raped and murdered.Support for the death penalty.
Commentators later called the question personal and unfair. But at the time Dukakis responded with a stoic “no” and then argued about the statistical ineffectiveness of the death penalty. His inability to come up with a less analytical answer reinforced the perception that he was overly intellectual, observers said.
At the vice presidential debate eight days earlier, Dukakis’ running mate, Senator Lloyd Bentsen, accused Senator Dan Quayle ofWith KennedyTo defend your abilities.
“Senator, I worked with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was my friend,” Bentsen said, before declaring to gasps and applause: “Senator, you are not Jack Kennedy.”
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“Senator, that’s not necessary,” Quayle responded.
Quayle’s answers sounded as if he was stunned, and he seemed weak and irritable to late-night hosts and reporters. “Saturday Night Live” even portrayed him as a child.
Gore’s direct challenge: Gore vs. Bush in 2000
During a town hall debate between Republican Texas Governor George W. Bush and Democratic Vice President Al Gore, GoreStand up from your chairtaking a confrontational stance. It immediately backfired.
As Bush answered a question, Gore approached Bush and stood quietly beside him. Bush was confused, looked down at him, and nodded dismissively. The audience laughed, and Bush continued speaking. Instead of being tough, Gore gave people an unnecessary sense of indifference.
The Feeling of Tracking: Trump vs. Clinton, 2016
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Trump changed the landscape of debate etiquette in 2016, stepping up his personal attacks and delivering televised one-liners. But his debates with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were more scathing.body languageProbably the most watched.
At one point during her speech, Democratic nominee Clinton faced the audience and looked away from her Republican rival, Donald Trump, who followed closely behind her, making pained or contemptuous expressions, either toward the camera or toward Clinton.
Many observers say Trump looks like a predator closing in on its prey. This is accentuated by their height difference. Clinton, the first female presidential nominee of a major party, is about 5 feet 4 inches tall, while Trump, at about 6 feet 4 inches, is much taller.
In her post-election memoir, Clinton said she should have been more aggressive in the debate.
The race to interrupt each other in the debate: Biden vs. Trump in 2020
Biden and Trump’s first debate was aFierce confrontationthe host could hardly get a word in.
With no rules for cutting off candidates’ microphones — a step CNN will take during Thursday’s debate — Biden and Trump constantly outsmarted each other.
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As Biden tried to answer questions about abolishing the congressional filibuster and expanding the number of Supreme Court justices, he was repeatedly heckled by Trump. Biden became infuriated and finally said to Trump: “Will you shut up, man?”
Moderator Chris Wallace raised his hands and declared the discussion over. Commentators generally agreed that the debate was one of the least professional in recent history – and the least informative for curious voters.