(R) Richard Nixon         (D) John F. Kennedy     49.6%     118,000 vote difference     49.7%

1st Televised Presidential Debate  1960 NBC Turning Points Kennedy Video                  Kennedy Audio

                        
JFK & would-be Republican nominee, Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater had talked about debating in the 1964 campaign.
President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. President Johnson decided not to debate his 1964 opponent.
There were no presidential debates in 1968 and 1972. Nixon won both elections. He resigned in disgrace in 1974.

(D) Jimmy Carter       (R) Gerald R. Ford            50.1%                               48%

1976 'The Great Gaffe' President Ford : "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford Administration."

(D) Jimmy Carter             (R) Ronald Reagan               41%                   50.7%

1980 Lines California Gov. Reagan's made famous: "There you go again."  "Are you better off than you were four years ago?

(D) Walter Mondale                       (R) Ronald Reagan               40.6%                        58.8%                 Landslide Republican Victory

1984 Fmr. Vice-President Mondale challenged the substance of President Reagan's policies using a Wendy's AD line. Reagan fires back about 'Ageism' with an "Age" Joke

(D) Michael Dukakis          (R) George H.W. Bush                   45.6%                    53.4%

1988 Bush campaign AD frames Massachusetts Gov. Dukakis as weak on crime. CNN Anchor Bernard Shaw asks THE MOST BLUNT DEBATE QUESTION. Bush defends his embattled VP choice

(R) George H.W. Bush      (D) Bill Clinton         (Ind) Ross Perot             37.4%                             43%                          18.8%

1992 A third party businessman included in the debates Arkansas Gov. Clinton connects with people

Clinton wins re-election in 1996 vs. GOP nominee, Kansas Senator Bob Dole.
During his second term, Clinton would be impeached by the House of Represenatives, but
win his impeachment trial in the Senate. "Clinton fatigue" wears on the nation by 2000.

(D) Albert Gore Jr.           (R) George W. Bush            50,999,897                50,456,002               48.4%                                 47.9%                 266      Electoral Votes        271             * Gore wins popular vote. U.S. Supreme Court             gives Florida & election to Bush.

2000 The closest election in American history.   Texas Gov. Bush on foreign policy during the debates.

In 2004, George W. Bush is re-elected to a second term vs. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

(R) John Mc Cain        (D) Barack Obama    1st time two senators are the two major party nominees.         Oldest man to be nominated for a 1st term vs            1st African-American major party nominee.

2008 1st Presidential Debate LIVE Friday, 6pm Focus: Foreign Policy & National Security 2nd Debate in class - Tuesday, Oct. 7th 3rd Debate  Wednesday, Oct. 15th

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