President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are set to debate for the first time in the 2024 election campaign on Thursday.
The oldest-ever candidates to run for office will face off on CNN in the evening of June 27, and have also accepted an invitation from ABC News to debate on September 10.
This presidential race is historic and hotly contested. The recently convicted Trump is the first ever felon to run for U.S. president.
Democrats have organized viewing parties across the country for the debate, which suggests that Biden is confident.
It's not the first time that the two candidates have battled it out, having competed against each other for president in 2020. Then, the presidential debates were chaotic: by CBS News's count, Trump interrupted Biden a total of 73 times and many insults and jibes were exchanged.
There are ongoing questions about the age and mental fitness of both candidates. Both Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, have made a series of gaffes on the campaign trail which have been widely criticized. People will be watching the debate closely for any slip ups.
But how closely have you been watching past debates? Clashes between presidential candidates have been a mainstay of U.S. elections in some form or another since 1960. Take our quiz below to see how well you remember key moments.
If you can't see the interactive quiz, the questions are listed below, and the answers are at the bottom of the article.
| In which U.S. presidential debate did the phrase "There you go again" prominently feature? | a) 1960 Kennedy-Nixon b) 1980 Carter-Reagan c) 1992 Bush-Clinton-Perot d) 2008 Obama-McCain |
| Which debate included the famous "binders full of women" comment? | a) 2004 Bush-Kerry b) 2008 Obama-McCain c) 2012 Obama-Romney d) 2016 Trump-Clinton |
| Who was the first third-party candidate to participate in a televised U.S. presidential debate? | a) Ralph Nader b) George Wallace c) John Anderson d) Ross Perot |
| What caused a 16-year gap between the Kennedy-Nixon debates and the next set of U.S. presidential debates? | a) Opposition from candidates b) Lack of network interest c) FCC regulations d) The Vietnam War |
| In the 2000 debates, which candidate used the term "fuzzy math" to criticize the other's budget proposals? | a) George W. Bush b) Al Gore c) Ralph Nader d) Pat Buchanan |
| During the 2016 presidential debates, which candidate said, "Because you'd be in jail," in response to a comment from their opponent? | a) Hillary Clinton b) Donald Trump c) Bernie Sanders d) Joe Biden |
| Which U.S. presidential debate included the comment, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy"? | a) 1976 Ford-Carter b) 1984 Reagan-Mondale c) 1988 Bush-Dukakis d) 2008 Obama-McCain |
A Brief History of U.S. Presidential Debates
U.S. presidential debates have been a cornerstone of American political culture for decades, offering a unique opportunity for voters to directly compare candidates' policies, personalities, and rhetorical skills.
The first televised presidential debate took place in 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon and fundamentally transformed the political landscape. Over 70 million Americans watched as Kennedy's calm, charismatic presence contrasted sharply with Nixon's tired and uneasy appearance, illustrating the growing importance of media in politics.
In 1976, the League of Women Voters sponsored the first general election presidential debate since 1960, providing a platform for candidates Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter to present their views to the American public. The League's sponsorship was pivotal in re-establishing presidential debates as a staple of the electoral process. Their goal was to ensure that debates were conducted impartially, free from the influence of political parties and special interests.
The LWV implemented rigorous guidelines for debate formats, question selection, and candidate participation, striving to provide voters with clear and comprehensive insights into the candidates' positions.
However, by 1984, increasing demands from political campaigns for more control over debate logistics led to tensions. The candidates' campaigns began negotiating terms directly, seeking to influence formats and moderators, which conflicted with the LWV's commitment to impartiality. In 1988, the LWV withdrew as the debate sponsor when political pressures compromised their ability to ensure fair debates.
Between 1988 and 2020, presidential debates were sponsored by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
The future of the CPD was thrown into doubt this year when the Biden and Trump campaigns struck a deal to do their two debates outside of the Commission's remit.
Answers: 1B, 2C, 3D, 4A, 5A, 6B, 7C
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Marni Rose McFall is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on U.S. politics, social affairs and ... Read more
