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==[[United States presidential election, 1980|1980 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 1980|1980 election]]==

[[Image:00000000.jpg|left|thumb|Reagan and Carter|200px]]By 1980 President [[Jimmy Carter]] was nominated by the Democrats, while [[Ronald Reagan]], Governor of California, was nominated by the Republicans.  Some who were not satisfied with the primaries results chose Illinois Congressman [[John Anderson]].  [[Ronald Reagan]], who was a skilled debater, managed to appear in two debates in 1980, the first in Baltimore, the second in Cleveland.  One against Anderson and one against Carter.  Carter apparently didn't want to debate against Anderson.  The final debate between Carter and Reagan made Reagan look better than Carter.  Carter appeared uncertain and made the mistake of saying that he asked his 12 year old daughter, Amy, for advice on [[Nuclear weapons|nuclear armament]] policy.  Reagan however looked energized and confident.  He made the famous quote near the end, {{Cquote|Next Tuesday [election day] all of you will go to the polls; you'll stand there . . . and make a decision.  I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago?}}  Reagan's great communication skills in the debates were probably one thing that helped him to win the 1980 election against both Carter and Anderson.

[[Image:00000000.jpg|left|thumb|Reagan and Carter|200px]]By 1980 President [[Jimmy Carter]] was nominated by the Democrats, while [[Ronald Reagan]], Governor of California, was nominated by the Republicans.  Some who were not satisfied with the primaries results chose Illinois Congressman [[John Anderson]].  [[Ronald Reagan]], who was a skilled debater, managed to appear in two debates in 1980, the first in Baltimore, the second in Cleveland.  One against Anderson and one against Carter.  Carter apparently didn't want to debate against Anderson.  The final debate between Carter and Reagan made Reagan look better than Carter.  Carter appeared uncertain and made the mistake of saying that he asked his 12-year-old daughter, Amy, for advice on [[Nuclear weapons|nuclear armament]] policy.  Reagan however looked energized and confident.  He made the famous quote near the end, {{Cquote|Next Tuesday [election day] all of you will go to the polls; you'll stand there . . . and make a decision.  I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you ask yourself: Are you better off than you were four years ago?}}  Reagan's great communication skills in the debates were probably one thing that helped him to win the 1980 election against both Carter and Anderson.

==[[United States presidential election, 1984|1984 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 1984|1984 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 1988|1988 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 1988|1988 election]]==

In 1988 there were two debates between Republican candidate, [[George H.W. Bush]], and Democratic candidate, [[Michael Dukakis]].  The first debate took place on September 25 in Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, North Carolina.  In it Bush didn't do as well as Dukakis, looking uncertain and making several mistakes.  By the second debate however Bush looked more confident, certain, and personal.  Dukakis however showed as much emotion  "as a schoolboy eating broccoli" (as [[Newsweek]] magazine wrote).<ref>[[Encyclopedia of Presidents, George Bush]], by Zachary Kent, Children's Press, 1993.</ref>  There was also one Vice Presidential debate between [[Dan Quayle]] and [[Lloyd Bentsen]], which is most distinguished for the quote by Bentsen in response after Quayle compared his experience to Dan Quayle. {{Cquote|Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.}}  The Bush/Quayle ticket defeated the Dukakis/Bentsen ticket by a large margin.

In 1988 there were two debates between Republican candidate, [[George H.W. Bush]], and Democratic candidate, [[Michael Dukakis]].  The first debate took place on September 25 in Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  In it Bush didn't do as well as Dukakis, looking uncertain and making several mistakes.  By the second debate however Bush looked more confident, certain, and personal.  Dukakis however showed as much emotion  "as a schoolboy eating broccoli" (as [[Newsweek]] magazine wrote).<ref>[[Encyclopedia of Presidents, George Bush]], by Zachary Kent, Children's Press, 1993.</ref>  There was also one Vice Presidential debate between [[Dan Quayle]] and [[Lloyd Bentsen]], which is most distinguished for the quote by Bentsen in response after Quayle compared his experience to Dan Quayle. {{Cquote|Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy.}}  The Bush/Quayle ticket defeated the Dukakis/Bentsen ticket by a large margin.

==[[United States presidential election, 1992|1992 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 1992|1992 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 2000|2000 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 2000|2000 election]]==

[[Image:00-main.jpg|right|thumb|Jim Lehrer, George Bush and Al Gore in the second debate.]]

[[Image:00-main.jpg|right|thumb|Jim Lehrer, George Bush and Al Gore in the second debate.]]

The close 2000 presidential election included debates for the Republican and Democratic nominees, [[George W. Bush]] and [[Al Gore]].  Three Presidential debates occurred and one Vice presidential debate between [[Dick Cheney]] and [[Joe Lieberman]].  Gore did poorly in the first debate by sighing, rolling his eyes and giving irritated expressions.  He became more subdued in the next debate, done in seated format.  He became more aggresive in the town-hall style debate, while walking about on the stage.  Bush did somewhat better using zingers like "fuzzy math" with success.  Compared to the presidential debates, the vice presidential debate was very tame and relaxed.  Lieberman and Cheney both agreed that it was highly civilized and calm, while they disagreed on a lot of subjects.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/debatingourdestiny/doc2000.html</ref>  The Bush/Cheney ticket narrowly defeated the Gore/Lieberman ticket only after a long dispute over Florida's vote.  The election was concluded by the Supreme Court's decision in [[Bush v. Gore]], which came in Bush's favor.

The close 2000 presidential election included debates for the Republican and Democratic nominees, [[George W. Bush]] and [[Al Gore]].  Three Presidential debates occurred and one Vice presidential debate between [[Dick Cheney]] and [[Joe Lieberman]].  Gore did poorly in the first debate by sighing, rolling his eyes and giving irritated expressions.  He became more subdued in the next debate, done in seated format.  He became more aggressive in the town-hall style debate, while walking about on the stage.  Bush did somewhat better using zingers like "fuzzy math" with success.  Compared to the presidential debates, the vice presidential debate was very tame and relaxed.  Lieberman and Cheney both agreed that it was highly civilized and calm, while they disagreed on a lot of subjects.<ref>http://www.pbs.org/newshour/debatingourdestiny/doc2000.html</ref>  The Bush/Cheney ticket narrowly defeated the Gore/Lieberman ticket only after a long dispute over Florida's vote.  The election was concluded by the Supreme Court's decision in [[Bush v. Gore]], which came in Bush's favor.

==[[United States presidential election, 2004|2004 election]]==

==[[United States presidential election, 2004|2004 election]]==

{{Main|2008 Presidential Debates}}

{{Main|2008 Presidential Debates}}

Senator [[Barack Obama]], the [[Democrat]] nominee ran against [[John McCain]], the [[Republican]] nominee.  The two met for three presidential debates.  There was also a Vice-Presidential debate between Democratic Senator [[Joe Biden]] and Governor [[Sarah Palin]].  Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama appeared on stage together in Oxford, Mississippi on September 26 and again on October 7 in Nashville, Tennessee with the third debate later in October.  Their respective running mates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, debated in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]] on October 2.  Their were no knockout blows in any of the debates and the polling numbers changed very little.  The Obama/Biden ticket defeated the McCain/Palin ticket on election day.

Senator [[Barack Obama]], the [[Democrat]] nominee ran against [[John McCain]], the [[Republican]] nominee.  The two met for three presidential debates.  There was also a Vice-Presidential debate between Democratic Senator [[Joe Biden]] and Governor [[Sarah Palin]].  Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama appeared on stage together in Oxford, Mississippi on September 26 and again on October 7 in Nashville, Tennessee with the third debate later in October.  Their respective running mates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden, debated in [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]] on October 2.  There were no knockout blows in any of the debates and the polling numbers changed very little.  The Obama/Biden ticket defeated the McCain/Palin ticket on election day.

==List of Debates==

==List of Debates==