Political debates provide a unique opportunity for voters to engage with candidates and allow them to share their visions, platforms, and records directly. They are also one of the rare opportunities for a candidate to poke public jabs at their opponents. While paid media can give voters a highly-curated view of a candidate in the image and tone they want to see, or door-to-door canvassing can provide a personalized experience for the voter, neither of these options provides the same level of engagement that a political debate does.
The debate format plays an important role in how a candidate is perceived by the audience and can influence electoral outcomes. A debate with a rapid-fire question format may highlight quick thinking skills, while a town hall format can foster personal connections with voters. Debates have a history of impacting elections and shaping the national discourse. The 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debates, for example, helped to make television an essential campaign tool and showcased a fresh-faced Kennedy as opposed to a hungover Richard Nixon.
A debate can also highlight a candidate’s lack of empathy or ability to communicate complex ideas. For instance, Gov. Michael Dukakis’ terse response to a question about his thoughts on the death penalty for someone who raped and murdered his wife left viewers with an impression that he was not concerned about their suffering.
A single debate performance is unlikely to swing undecided voters, but a good or bad debate, combined with other factors, such as advertising and news coverage, can help to move them off the fence. With the upcoming debate between Harris and Biden, here’s a look back at some notable debate moments from previous elections.