US presidential debates over the years: Gaffes, chaos, scandals

ATLANTA - From Gerald Ford’s catastrophic Soviet gaffe to Ronald Reagan’s witty remark about his age and Joe Biden asking Donald Trump to “shut up”, US presidential debates have been funny, vicious and everything in between.

Here are some of the most memorable moments from more than 60 years of modern American debates.

Kennedy-Nixon, Sept 26, 1960

Presidential candidates Vice President Richard Nixon (left) and Senator John Kennedy face off in the final televised debate on September 26, 1960 in a Chicago television studio.  PHOTO: REUTERS

It was the first televised debate of its kind, when everything was still broadcast in black-and-white, and it established the importance of a politician’s public image. Republican Richard Nixon looked poised to win the election, having served two terms as vice-president under Dwight Eisenhower.

But the debate did not go well for him. Nixon refused to wear make-up and appeared pale and sweaty in front of more than 66 million viewers, while the young Massachusetts senator John F. Kennedy looked tanned and relaxed. While Nixon addressed the moderator, Kennedy looked at the camera, speaking directly to his voters.

How much the debate visuals pushed the needle is disputed, but Kennedy went on to defeat Nixon at the polls.

Ford-Carter, Oct 6, 1976

President Gerald Ford (right) and Governor Jimmy Carter on television during the first presidential debate of the 1976 U.S. presidential election in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. PHOTO: REUTERS

The first debate between Republican president Gerald Ford and Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter was marked by a 27-minute loss of audio. The second debate did not go well for Ford either, when he made a gaffe that arguably cost him the presidency.

At the height of the Cold War, Ford uttered that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration”, even though the Soviet Union had troops deployed across the Eastern bloc.

Six days passed before Ford explained himself, saying that he spoke not of the literal military presence but meant that people’s spirits there had not been crushed.

Reagan-Mondale, Oct 21, 1984

U.S. President Ronald Reagan (right) and Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale are pictured during the first 1984 U.S. presidential election debate in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., on October 7, 1984.  PHOTO: REUTERS

Republican president Ronald Reagan was 73 when he ran for a second term against 56-year-old Walter Mondale. But he managed to turn his age into his strength with a witty answer that went down in history.

“I will not make age an issue of this campaign,” Reagan said when asked whether he was fit for office. “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

Bush-Clinton-Perot, Oct 15, 1992

Democratic Presidential nominee Governor Bill Clinton (left) Independent candidate Ross Perot (centre) and President George Bush laugh at the conclusion of their Presidential debate in East Lansing, Michigan, U.S., on October 19th, 1992. PHOTO: REUTERS

The second presidential debate in the 1992 race pitted incumbent president George Bush against both his future successor Bill Clinton and independent candidate Ross Perot.

Mr Bush was caught on camera looking at his watch while Mr Clinton talked to an audience member during a town hall debate, a move that cost Mr Bush dearly.

Years later, Mr Bush admitted he hated the debates. “Maybe that’s why I was looking at it, ‘only 10 more minutes of this crap.’”

Obama-Romney, Oct 22, 2012

U.S. Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney (left) and U.S. President Barack Obama speak at the same time as moderator Bob Schieffer (centre) listens during the final U.S. presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida, on October 22, 2012.  PHOTO: REUTERS

During a debate against president Barack Obama, Republican challenger Mitt Romney lamented that the US Navy had fewer ships presently than it did in 1916.

“Governor, we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military’s changed,” Mr Obama retorted.

“We have these things called aircraft carriers, where planes land on them. We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines.”

Mr Obama’s comments went viral online.

Trump-Clinton, Oct 9, 2016

Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump (left) listens as Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton answers a question from the audience during their presidential town hall debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., on October 9, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

The second debate of the 2016 US presidential election pitting Mrs Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was particularly vicious.

Coming shortly after the release of a video in which Trump was heard boasting that his fame allowed him to grope women, the Republican billionaire went after his opponent’s husband, former president Bill Clinton, accusing him of being “so abusive to women”.

Trump also vowed to have Mrs Clinton investigated over her use of a private e-mail account when she was secretary of state.

“It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country,” Mrs Clinton said.

Trump shot back: “Because you’d be in jail.”

Trump-Biden, Sept 29, 2020

The first debate of the 2020 presidential election, featuring Trump (right) and Democrat Joe Biden, devolved into shouting and insults.  PHOTO: REUTERS

The first debate of the 2020 presidential election, featuring Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, devolved into shouting and insults.

With Trump constantly interrupting him, Mr Biden snapped, saying, “Will you shut up, man?“

The Democrat also called his opponent a “clown” and “Putin’s puppy”.

Trump for his part kept evading the question of whether he would recognise the results of the election.

Powerless to control the two candidates, the debate moderator, Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, later described feeling “desperation”. AFP