Retro Report: The history of presidential debates

Photo via: TNP Staff

"Keep yapping, man."

"There's nothing smart about you, Joe."

"Folks, do you have any idea what this clown's doing?"

These quotes come from two faces of modern politics: Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The current and former presidents faced off in the 2020 presidential debate, which featured some of the most unprofessional moments in the country’s history.

While laughable, these quotes raise the question: What happened to presidential civility?

Presidential debates date back to the era of Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. However, those debates were structured quite differently. There were seven Lincoln-Douglas debates, each consisting of three speeches, with the round lasting three hours in total. Some debates drew more than 10,000 people in the audience, though attendance was limited due to transportation challenges.

The first televised debate in 1960, between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon, was groundbreaking. With multiple ways to tune in, there were many different perspectives on who won the debate. According to Niki Popli from Time Magazine, Kennedy, who wore makeup to appear younger and more vibrant, was widely considered to have won by viewers watching on TV. However, radio listeners believed Nixon performed better.

No other televised debate took place until 1976, when Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford took the stage. Since then, presidential debates have been present in every election cycle. Vice presidential debates began in 1984, when Rep. Geraldine Ferraro and Vice President George Bush faced off.

Presidential debates have traditionally been a time for candidates to display their civility and professionalism, as well as their qualifications for the job. Past debates have shown how civility can resonate with voters. For example, during a 2008 town hall, when an audience member claimed that Barack Obama was "an Arab," Sen. John McCain quickly took the microphone and responded, "No, ma’am. He’s a decent family man and citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, and that’s what this campaign’s all about."

McCain's response brought the conversation back to politics and away from conspiracy theories about his opponent. In today’s political landscape, however, it is often the candidates themselves who perpetuate the conspiracies.

The 2016 election ushered in a new era of politics: the Trump era. It was the first election in U.S. history where a woman, Hillary Clinton, appeared on the ballot as the Democratic presidential nominee. On the other side, Donald Trump, a wealthy businessman and reality TV star, lacked political experience but still made it onto the ballot.

A notable moment during the 2016 debates occurred when Trump muttered "nasty woman" under his breath as Clinton explained her plan for Social Security reform. The comment sparked a social media storm, with the hashtag #NastyWoman trending on Twitter. 

Despite backlash from women across the country, Trump went on to win the election. When he ran for re-election in 2020, his opponent was former Vice President Joe Biden. The 2020 debates were full of interruptions, rude remarks, and moments that quickly turned into memes. Unfortunately, what they did not do was assure the country that it is in good hands. 

In contrast, the 2012 debate between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney started with Obama congratulating Romney on his anniversary. In 2020, Biden told President Trump to "shut up" after being interrupted throughout his allotted time. The stark difference between these moments highlights how much politics has changed in recent years.

Leading up to the 2024 rematch between Biden and Trump, debate moderators decided to mute the microphones of candidates who were not supposed to be speaking to prevent interruptions. This trend continued when Trump faced Vice President Kamala Harris in early September of 2024, and again in the Vice Presidential debate between Governor Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance in October. 

The need to mute microphones speaks volumes to the drastic difference between debates just 14 years ago to now and calls for a need to bring professionalism back into politics.