1858 Lincoln/Douglas debates, immediately prior to secession by the South.
Are debates for the U.S. Senate, not the Presidency.
Initial invitation by Lincoln was for 30 or so debates. Douglas declined that but instead proposed that seven debates held in various locations in Illinois.
Topic remains constant across debates -- slavery/popular sovereignty.
Format is an hour speech, an hour and a half rebuttal, a half hour concluding rebuttal.
1934 Federal Communication Act of 1934.
Section 315 is the "equal time" provision.
Fairness Doctrine in the same act requires stations airing material on controversial issues to provide reasonable time for expression of alternative points of view.
1948 Thomas Dewey v. Harold Stassen. Oregon Republican Primary.
May 17, Portland, Radio coverage only.
1st "presidential" debate.
General election that year between Dewey and Truman.
1952 Republican and Democratic candidates, Ohio Primary.
May 1, Cincinatti, radio coverage only.
Five actual candidatess plus an Eisenhower stand-in. Neither Eisenhower or Stevenson participated.
No general election debates -- Eisenhower rejects the idea of debating Adlai Stevenson.
1956 Adlai Stevenson v. Estes Kefauver, Florida Primary Debate.
May 21, Miami, 1st televised debate (also on radio).
General election again between Eisenhower and Stevenson, Eisenhower again rejects debates with Stevenson.
1960 Kennedy v. Humprhrey, West Virginia Primary.
May 3, Charleston, television coverage only.
Kennedy v. Johnson, Democratic convention.
July 12, Los Angeles, television coverage only.
Kennedy v. Nixon. First General election debates.
To allow the series, Congress temporarily suspecnds Section 315.
Nixon and advisors thought the audience would build over time, thus picked the fourt the for foreign policy discussion, supposedly Nixon's strong suit.
Sept 26, Chicago, Domestic policy, 30 million households
Oct 7, Washington, DC, Open, 28 million
Oct 13, JFK in NYC, RMN in LA, Open, 28 million
Oct 21, New York, Foreign policy, no #'s available
In percentage terms, largest audience of any, with between 58 and 61 percent of the audience tuned in.
1964 No primary debates.
Johnson v. Goldwater. No debate held b/c of Johnson's popularity, and would only help Goldwater.
Instead, Goldwater follows the Vandenburg example and debates clips of Johnson.
1968 Robert Kennedy v. Eugene McCarthy, California primary.
June 1, San Francisco.
Nixon v. Humphrey. No debate b/c of political reasons, would give HHH credibility.
Also, no debate because of FCC's equal time rule -- would have had to include ANY candidate, not just the two major ones.
1972 Humphrey v. McGovern, California primary.
May 28, Joint Interview on Face the Nation
Democratic candidates, California primary.
June 4, Los Angeles, five candidates plus a Wallace stand-in.
First presidential debate involving a woman -- Shirley Chisholm
Nixon v. McGovern. Same situation as 1968.
1975 FCC "News" ruling. If a legitimate news event, does not require equal time to other candidates. News events would be independently sponsored, not sponsored by networks.
1976 Democratic primary.
Feb 23, Boston, 7 candidates
Democratic primary.
March 29, New York, 5 candidates
Democratic primary.
May 3, Chicago, 2 candidates
Carter v. Ford, Mondale v. Dole. Sponsored by League of Women voters.
Held b/c Ford didn't see Carter as a serious threat. Ford the first sitting President to debate a challenger.
Sept 23, Philadelphia, Domestic policy, 52 million -- technical glitch interrupts for 28 minutes
Oct 6, San Francisco, Foreign policy, 47 million -- the Ford "No Soviet domination of Eastern Europe" answer
VP--Oct 15, Houston, Open, 36 million -- Dole "hatchet man" comment -- "I figured up the other day. If we added up the killed and wounded in Democrat wars in this century, it would be about 1.6 million Americans, enough to fill the city of Detroit.
Oct 22, Williamsburg, VA, Open, 42 million
Percentage ratings varied from 48 percent (last debate) to 53.5 percent. VP Debate was 35.5 percent.
1980 Republican primary.
5 debates, varying in number from 2 candidates to 7 candidates.
Reagan/Carter/John Anderson. Carter won't debate Anderson b/c would legitimize him and take away from Carter's base.
League of women voters says must have at least 15% in most recent national polls in order to participate.
Reagan v. Anderson, Sept 21, Baltimore, Open, No #'s available.
Held because Anderson met the League's 15% threshhold. Because of his involvement, Carter refused to participate.
Reagan v. Carter, Oct 28, Cleveland, Open, 55 million.
Anderson no longer meets 15% threshhold, thus Carter participates.
59 percent of the audience tuned in.
Carter is first elected President to debate a challenger on television. Carter's answer on discussing nuclear policy with Amy made him seem weak and naive.
Reagan's "there you go again" line made it seem as though Carter was stretching the truth, "are you better off than you were four years ago" cemented the Reagan victory.
1983 FCC reinterpretation of Section 315.
Broadcasters can both sponsor and cover debates.
1984 Democratic primaries
Number of primary debates measurably increase since broadcasters can now sponsor them.
10 primary debates between Democratic candidates, 3 bi-partisan forums, varying from 8 candidates to 3 candidates.
Reagan v. Mondale, Bush v. Ferraro.
Oct 7, Louisville, KY, Domestic policy, 55 million
VP-- Oct 11, Philadelphia, Open, 48 million
Oct 21, Kansas City, MO, Foreign policy, No #'s available
Percentage ratings -- 45 - 46 percent. VP 43.6.
1988 Primaries -- approximately 30-35 primary debates.
Bush vs. Dukakis, Quayle v. Bentsen.
First debates sponsored by the parties, the Commission on Presidential Debates
Sept 25, Winston-Salem, Open
VP--Oct 5, Omaha, NE, Open
Oct 13, Los Angeles, Open -- League was going to sponsor, but withdrew on October 3 because they perceived that the rules negotiated by the candidates would prevent clash.
Lowest percentage ratings of any televised presidential debates except for 1976 VP. 36.8 for the first and 35.9 for the second, VP was only 33.6.
1992 Clinton/Bush/Perot, Gore/Quayle/Stockdale. Both Clinton and Bush perceive that allowing Perot in will help them and hurt the other.
Oct 11, St. Louis, MO, Open
VP--Oct 13, Atlanta, Open
Oct 15, Richmond, Open
Oct 19, East Lansing, MI, Open
1960, 1976, 1992 were some of the closer elections in recent history. Debates MAY have served to equalize the candidates.
1984, 1988 were landslides, debates may have reinforced images already set.
1984, 1988, 1992 -- extensive primary debates, especially within the Democratic party
1996, 2000 -- extensive primary debates, especially within the Republican party
2004 -- extensive primary debates, within the Democratic Party