by Carmen Polvere

Created on: June 10, 2011

Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and Michael Dukakis could answer this question better than anyone. I’m old enough to remember the Kennedy-Nixon televised debates in beautiful black and white. I recall my father fondly commenting that “Nixon looked like a thief.” He went on to vote for Nixon three times. Of course not all Americans shared my father’s views on Richard Nixon. John F. Kennedy went on to win the 1960 election largely because of how good he looked in those televised debates. Although Nixon only four years older, John Kennedy came across as looking much younger and more energetic. The importance of televised debates was established in 1960 and has never diminished.

The Carter-Ford debates in 1976 gave Jimmy Carter a slight advantage in the final days before the election largely due to some serious factual errors on President Ford’s knowledge of Eastern Europe. During this campaign I was assigned to a canvassing team working northern Wisconsin on behalf of Jimmy Carter. I was struck by a genuine lack of enthusiasm for either President Ford or Jimmy Carter, a distinct difference from the 1972 Presidential campaign where passion ruled the day. While watching the Carter-Ford debates, I mentioned to my roommate Phil, a staunch Republican, that had his party nominated Ronald Reagan the debates would have been no contest. Reagan would have won hands down. Phil agreed.

Fast forward to the 1980 Presidential debates. Although approaching 70, Ronald Reagan looked terrific. President Carter appeared wooden and was always on the defensive. Candidate Reagan’s skills in front of the camera during the debates ended whatever remote chance President Carter had of winning re-election. Even staunch supporters of President Carter found themselves struggling to answer Ronald Reagan’s famous debate question to the American viewing public on whether or not we were better off than four years before. Ronald Reagan remains the all-time presidential debate champion. No one before or since has connected so well with the American public as candidate Reagan did in 1980 or as President Reagan did in 1984.

Michael Dukakis lost 1988 presidential election to George H. Bush largely due to a question posed during their second debate by moderator Bernard Shaw of CNN. “If Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?” To every husband or father watching this debate, no answer short of “Leave the state out of it, I’ll kill the SOB myself” would have been good enough. Candidate Dukakis replied with an unemotional methodical response on the reduction of violent crime in death penalty free Massachusetts. I clearly recall thinking game over following Bernard Shaw’s question.

Presidential debates will continue to influence the outcome of elections in years to come. They will reinforce the hardcore supporters of each candidate and change the minds of the undecided.

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