You're listening to an Airwave Media Podcast.

I'm Chris Stewart and I invite you to come and join us here at the History of China Podcast.

We've got it all. Wars with millions on each side to help drive home exactly why you should

never get involved in a land war in Asia. Come along on the silk road to partake in its

riches. Join the great cons of the steps on campaign. Plie the seas on treasure ships,

or strike out with pirate crews to take their riches for your own.

Experience the sumptuousness of the imperial court behind the guarded gates of the forbidden city.

All this and so much more here the This was a crucial question for the debates of one presidential election year

belt buckle or no belt buckle. Oh, you're going to be a uh,

... uh... Make no mistake everything that appeared on TV in the 1976 debates between

the President of the United States Gerald Gerald Ford, and his Democratic challenger, Jimmy Carter, was

prearranged.

It was the first time anyone had debated an incumbent live on TV and it wasn't something

the Carter's team wanted.

As the challenger, he had a double-digit lead.

And he didn't need this live television event.

His team was wary of their guy being next to a Podes, live on TV.

Ford challenged Carter to a debate in a surprise declaration in his acceptance speech at the RNC Convention in Kansas City that year.

The people deserve to hear from us he boldly declared.

We take debates for granted now, right? After the conventions, We go to the debates. It's part of the election

But if President Ford had not been so far down in the polls compared to this out-of-nowhere

refreshing new candidate with a peanut farmer smile, so not Watergate, so on

...