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7 unusual facts about Presidential debate


Presidential debate

Leaders debate, which occur within Parliamentary forms of government

United States presidential election debates, debates that occur between the main candidates for the American President, often after the primary elections.

United States vice-presidential debate, 1996

The 1996 vice presidential debate, part of the 1996 presidential election, featured then vice-president Al Gore, a Democrat and Republican opposition, Jack Kemp.

United States vice-presidential debate, 2008

Pundits criticized Biden's omission of the general's name; he referred to him several times only as the "commanding general in Afghanistan," until it was discovered the General's name is in fact David D. McKiernan.

According to a poll of uncommitted voters conducted immediately after the debate by CBS News and the former Knowledge Network, 46% thought Senator Biden won the debate, 21% thought Governor Palin had won, and 33% thought it was a tie.

The debate was watched by about 70 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research, making it the most-watched vice-presidential debate in history.

Palin spoke in greatest depth about energy policy while Biden spoke in greatest depth about foreign affairs.


Bob Schieffer

On October 13, 2004, he was the moderator of the third presidential debate between President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry in Tempe, Arizona.

Say It Ain't So, Joe

Say It Ain't So, Joe is a chamber opera in two acts by Curtis K. Hughes inspired by text drawn from the public record of the 2008 United States vice-presidential debate where vice presidential candidate Joe Biden is addressed by Sarah Palin in a similar manner as the famous quote referring to Shoeless Joe Jackson.


see also

1976 Michigan Wolverines football team

Two days before the game, the schools' most famous alumni (Gerald Ford of Michigan and Jimmy Carter of the Naval Academy) faced off in a presidential debate.

Bob Schieffer

On October 15, 2008, Schieffer moderated the third presidential debate between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain.

Mahaffey Theater

The theater was the site of the 1996 vice presidential debate between Al Gore and Jack Kemp.

Ricardo Salinas Pliego

The Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) and its president, Leonardo Valdés Zurita, asked for TV Azteca to not air the game at the same time as the presidential debate.

Sander Vanocur

In 1984, Vanocur moderated the Vice Presidential debate between incumbent George H. W. Bush and Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro.

Tony Rezko

In the South Carolina Democratic Party presidential debate on January 21, 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton said that Obama had been associated with Rezko, whom she referred to as a slum landlord.

Year of the Woman

At a presidential debate at the University of Richmond, President George H. W. Bush was asked when his party might nominate a woman for President.