The History of Presidential Debates in America 1960-2008

This Friday night Barack Obama and John McCain will meet in Mississippi for the first of three Presidential "debates". The term debate isn't actually the correct term for the format of any of the "Presidential debates" that have been a regular part of the political landscape every four years since 1976. The correct term would be "joint appearance" since the candidates don't really follow the rules of debate, but "joint appearance" has sort of a clinical sound to it, so most commentators and observors refer to it as debate, so debate it is. In post-1960 America, "joint appearance" could easily be misconstrued. There used to be a joke in the 70's that Congress would have a "joint session" to debate legalization of marijuana, for instance. With so many words in the English language already having taken on different meanings than the original, it's a losing battle. (Al Gore sigh).

Which brings us to the history of these Presidential debates. I found it hard to believe that 1960 was the first time the two major party Presidential canddiates actually had debated, but it's true. Before that time, candidates debated the other candidates in Presidential primaries, but it wasn't until Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy squared off on Sept. 23, 48 years ago, that Americans were treated/subjected to Presidential debates in the fall. It was 16 years before it happened again after that date.

Starting in 1976, I believe it was, even the Vice Presidential candidates began to engage in these debates, also. I was only 4 years old when the Kennedy-Nixon debate took place, so I don't remember that one, but have heard my Dad and others of his generation discuss the affair and have seen all the others since that time. Here are the 10 most memorable goofs, gaffes and zingers I can recall in these history of Presidential debates.