Zingers and Gaffes: A Look At the Utility of Presidential Debates
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4.1 • 5.3K Ratings
🗓️ 19 January 2024
⏱️ 13 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Now in the midst of another election season, it looks like this well-established tradition might be fading away. But do debates inform voters, and do they change minds?
We take a look at how the modern presidential debate came to be, and what their absence would mean for candidates and voters.
Email us at [email protected]
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit for |
| 0:07.6 | political purposes my opponent's youth and inexperience. A memorable Zinger from the 1984 presidential debate between Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat |
| 0:20.2 | Walter Mondale. |
| 0:22.0 | At the time Reagan |
| 0:22.7 | comedically dodged a question about his age and in hindsight many experts |
| 0:27.1 | think sealed a landslide re-election in that moment. |
| 0:31.6 | Over the past several decades, debates between presidential candidates have produced |
| 0:35.4 | memorable moments, moments that have reshaped campaigns. |
| 0:39.6 | There was the time in 2011 when then Texas Governor Rick Perry, Republican, had difficulty recalling all three |
| 0:45.7 | of the government agencies that he planned to shut down. |
| 0:48.8 | But you can't name the third one? |
| 0:51.6 | The third agency of government, I would do away with the |
| 0:54.6 | education the commerce and let's see I can't the third one I can, the third one I can't, sorry. |
| 1:05.0 | Oops. |
| 1:07.0 | Perry washed out of the race. |
| 1:10.0 | And there was an awkward moment in this 2008 New Hampshire debate when then Senator Hillary Clinton |
| 1:15.6 | answered a question about her likeability in comparison to Senator Barack Obama. |
| 1:19.8 | He's very likable. I agree with that. |
| 1:24.6 | I don't think I'm that bad. |
| 1:26.9 | You're likable enough. |
| 1:28.0 | Thank you so much. |
| 1:32.2 | Clinton went on to win New Hampshire turning what looked like a possible Obama |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of NPR and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.