Presidential Debates 1948-92 - A brief history

1948
Candidates for the Republican nomination Harold Stassen and Thomas Dewey participated in the first debate to be broadcast via electronic media (radio). Broadcast during the Oregon primary.

1952
Contenders and representatives both parties met in a live open forum (no broadcast) sponsored by League of Women Voters. Among the participants: Democractic contenders Estes Kefauver and Averell Harriman and Republican contenders Harold Stassen and Dwight Eisenhower.

1956
Candidates for the Democratic nomination Adlai Stevenson and Estes Kefauver met in a televised debate during the Florida Democratic presidential primary.

1960
First televised debate featuring the Democratic and Republican nominees for the Presidency. John Kennedy (D) and Richard Nixon (R) had four televised debates, including one which the candidates filmed in separate locations: September 26 (Chicago, Ill.), October 7 (Washington, D.C.), October 13 (Kennedy filmed in New York, Nixon in Los Angeles), and October 21 (New York).

1976
Jimmy Carter (D) and Gerald Ford (R) met in three televised presidential debates on September 23 (Philadelphia, the Walnut Street Theatre), October 6 (San Francisco, the Palace and Fine Arts Theater), and October 22 (Williamsburg, Va., Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at the College of William and Mary). Walter Mondale (D) and Bob Dole (R) met in a televised vice presidential debate on October 15 (Houston).

1980
Ronald Reagan (R) and John Anderson (I) met in a televised debate on September 21 (Baltimore Convention Center). Jimmy Carter (D) and Ronald Reagan (R) met in a televised debate on October 28 (Cleveland Convention Center).

1984
Walter Mondale (D) and Ronald Reagan (R) met in televised debates on October 7 (Louisville) and October 21. Geraldine Ferraro (D) and George Bush (R) met in televised vice presidential debate on October 11 (Philadelphia).

1988
Michael Dukakis (D) and George Bush (R) met in televised debates on September 25 (Winston Salem, N.C.) and October 13 (Los Angeles). Lloyd Bentsen (D) and Dan Quayle (R) met in a televised vice presidential debate on October 5 (Omaha, Neb.).

1992
George Bush (R), Bill Clinton (D), and Ross Perot (I) met in televised debates on October 11 (St. Louis, Washington University athletic complex), October 15 (Richmond, Va., the University of Richmond, "town hall" format), and October 19 (East Lansing, Mich., Michigan State University). Dan Quayle (R), Al Gore (D), and James Stockdale (I) met in a televised vice presidential debate on October 13.

1996
Bill Clinton (D) and Bob Dole (R) met in televised debates on Oct. 6 (Hartford, Conn.) and Oct. 16 (San Diego). Vice presidential candidates Al Gore (D) and Jack Kemp (R) met in a televised debate on Oct. 9 (St. Petersburg, Fla.).