There You Go Again: Great Moments From Presidential Debates

October 7 2004
Counterbias.com
Scott C. Smith

A staple of the presidential election cycle is the debates. Sometimes boring, often entertaining, the debates offer an opportunity for the American public to see their respective candidates in action. A group called the Commission on Presidential Debates runs the debates. CPD’s web site, http://www.debates.org, features an archive of debate transcripts going back to the 1960s.

Some of the best moments have come from the debates between candidates for vice president.

The October 5^th debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator John Edwards had some great moments. While not as contentious as the 1992 debates between Vice President Dan Quayle, Senator Al Gore, and Reform Party candidate James Stockdale, Cheney and Edwards attempted to discuss the issues but invariably slammed each other (or, more accurate, scored points against President Bush and Senator John Kerry) with every opportunity that allowed for such an exchange.

Debates often have moments that stand out in the public’s mind; a great line or statement made against an opponent. A great example is the debate between Senator Lloyd Bentsen and Senator Dan Quayle in 1988. Quayle, George H.W. Bush’s inexplicable choice of a running mate, often found himself easily flustered. That debate included this classic line from Lloyd Bentsen, following Quayle’s comment that he had as much political experience as John F. Kennedy:

Dan Quayle: “…I have as much experience in the Congress as Jack Kennedy did when he sought the presidency. I will be prepared to deal with the people in the Bush administration, if that unfortunate event (death or illness of the president) would ever occur.”

Lloyd Bentsen: “Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you are no Jack Kennedy.”

Quayle’s reaction to that line was classic, grimacing while the audience roared with applause.

It fascinates me that George H.W. Bush picked a relatively inexperienced running mate, yet now, Bush’s son and his running mate are making an issue of the political experience of John Edwards.

Some debates have a profound affect on the outcome of an election. Michael Dukakis nailed his own coffin shut in his debate against Vice President George H.W. Bush. At the start of the second debate between Bush and Dukakis, CNN’s Bernard Shaw asked Dukakis, “Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?” Dukakis replied, without emotion, “No, I don't, Bernard. And I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life. I don't see any evidence that it's a deterrent, and I think there are better and more effective ways to deal with violent crime.” Sure, it was a loaded question, and Dukakis answered honestly, but his lack of emotion certainly cost him voters, who perceived him as cold and distant.

One of the best moments of the debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards came when Cheney made a reference to Halliburton and gave the address of a web site to debunk rumors of any wrongdoing by Halliburton, as Edwards had suggested.  Cheney said:

“…well, the reason they keep mentioning Halliburton is because they're trying to throw up a smokescreen. They know the charges are false.  They know that if you go, for example, to factcheck.com, an independent Web site sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania, you can get the specific details with respect to Halliburton.”

One small problem: Cheney meant to say factcheck.org. Putting in the address of factcheck.com into a web browser directs the viewer to George Soros’ web site. Soros is the billionaire Kerry supporter, and the first thing one sees at that web site is a banner, Why we must not re-elect President Bush. Oops. Someone should teach candidates the many differences in web site addresses that end in COM, ORG or NET.

Another great moment was Cheney stating he had never met John Edwards. Cheney clearly was suggesting that John Edwards was not doing his job as a senator in this statement: “Now, in my capacity as vice president, I am the president of Senate, the presiding officer. I'm up in the Senate most Tuesdays when they're in session. The first time I ever met you (Edwards) was when you walked on the stage tonight.” That line drew an audible reaction from the audience. One small problem: it was a lie. Cheney and Edwards both attended a prayer breakfast in 2001; photographs clearly show John Edwards standing next to Cheney, and Cheney mentions Edwards by name in a speech he delivered that morning. I guess for Dick Cheney, appearing with someone at a public function and thanking that person for attending the function is not the same as meeting that person. 

While Jimmy Carter’s re-election bid in 1980 was undoubtedly doomed due to an economy in recession and the failure of the Carter administration to free hostages held in Iran, Ronald Reagan certainly resonated with voters when he said, in his closing remarks, “I think when you make that decision, (to vote) it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were four years ago? Is it easier for you to go and buy things in the stores than it was four years ago? Is there more or less unemployment in the country than there was four years ago? Is America as respected throughout the world as it was? Do you feel that our security is as safe, that we're as strong as we were four years ago?”

Reagan’s words ring true in 2004. Are we better off than we were four years ago? In answer to Reagan’s question, I’m going to say no.