1984 United States presidential debates explained

Election Name:1984 United States presidential debates
Country:United States
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1980 United States presidential debates
Previous Year:1980
Next Election:1988 United States presidential debates
Next Year:1988
Map Size:289px
Election Date:October 7, 1984
October 21
Image1:Ronald Reagan 1985 presidential portrait (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Ronald Reagan
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:California
Nominee2:Walter Mondale
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:Minnesota
Module:
Child:yes
Election Name:1984 United States vice presidential debate
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Election Date:October 11, 1984
Image1:George H. W. Bush vice presidential portrait.jpg
Nominee1:George H. W. Bush
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:Texas
Nominee2:Geraldine Ferraro
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:New York

The 1984 United States presidential election debates were held during the 1984 presidential election. Three debates were held between Republican candidate, incumbent president Ronald Reagan and Democratic vice president Walter Mondale under Jimmy Carter, the major candidates. One debate was held with their vice presidential running mates, incumbent vice president George H. W. Bush and congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro.

Debate schedule

1984 United States presidential election debates
  Date & Time Host LocationModerator Participants
Key:
Participant.  Non-invitee.  
President
Ronald Reagan
of California
Vice President
Walter Mondale
of Minnesota
Sunday, October 7, 1984,9:00 – 10:30 p.m. EDT[1] Center for the Performing ArtsLouisville, KentuckyBarbara Walters
Sunday, October 21, 1984,8:00 – 9:30 p.m. EDTMusic Hall, Municipal AuditoriumKansas City, Missouri[2] Edwin Newman
1984 United States vice presidential debate
  Date & Time HostLocation Moderator Participants
Key:
Participant.  Non-invitee.  
Vice President
George H. W. Bush
of Texas
Congresswoman
Geraldine Ferraro
of New York
Thursday, October 11, 1984,9:00 – 10:30 p.m. EDTPennsylvania Hall Civic CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaSander Vanocur

October 7: First presidential debate (Center for the Performing Arts)

First presidential debate
Venue:Center for the Performing Arts
Location:Louisville, Kentucky
Participants:Ronald Reagan
Walter Mondale
Moderator:Barbara Walters of ABC

The first debate between President Ronald Reagan and Vice President Walter Mondale took place on Sunday, October 7, 1984, at the Center for the Performing Arts in Louisville, Kentucky. The debate was moderated by Barbara Walters of ABC News and featured a panel featuring James Wieghart of New York Daily News, Diane Sawyer of CBS News, and Fred Barnes of New Republic. The topics were economic and domestic policy issues.[3]

Despite trailing far behind Reagan in the polls leading up to the debate, Mondale exceeded expectations and emerged as the clear winner of the first debate. According to a Newsweek/Gallup poll, 54 percent of debate-watchers favored Mondale, while only 35 percent sided with Reagan. President Reagan was perceived as confused and tired during the debate, whereas Mondale demonstrated articulate communication. This praised performance briefly revitalized the Mondale campaign, narrowing Reagan's lead in the polls by seven points. [4] [5]

October 11: Vice presidential debate (Pennsylvania Hall Civic Center)

Vice presidential debate
Venue:Pennsylvania Hall Civic Center
Location:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Participants:George H. W. Bush
Geraldine Ferraro
Moderator:Sander Vanocur of ABC

The vice presidential debate between vice president George H. W. Bush and congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro took place on Thursday, October 11, 1984, at the Pennsylvania Hall Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate was moderated by Sander Vanocur of ABC News and featured a panel featuring John Mashek of U.S. News & World Report, Jack White of Time, Norma Quarles of NBC News, and Robert Boyd of Knight-Ridder Newspapers. The topics were domestic and foreign affairs.

The result was proclaimed mostly even by newspapers, television, other media, and historians.[6] [7] Women voters tended to think Ferraro had won, while men, Bush.[8] Some media, however, either declared Bush or Ferraro the winner. The candidates were both praised for their ability to debate.

Bush, Ferraro experience exchange

Ferraro handled a question about her experience at the debate, after being asked how her three House terms stacked up with Bush's two House terms, career as an ambassador to China and the United Nations, Director of Central Intelligence and four years as vice president. The peak of the experience battle came when, during a discussion of the Carter administration in Iran and the Reagan administration in Lebanon, Bush said, "Let me help you with the difference, Mrs. Ferraro, between Iran and the embassy in Lebanon."[9] Ferraro responded to cap what The New York Times termed "a bristling exchange", "Let me just say first of all, that I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy."

October 21: Second presidential debate (Music Hall, Municipal Auditorium)

Second presidential debate
Venue:Music Hall, Municipal Auditorium
Location:Kansas City, Missouri
Participants:Ronald Reagan
Walter Mondale
Moderator:Edwin Newman of NBC (formerly)

The second and final debate between President Ronald Reagan and Vice President Walter Mondale took place on Sunday, October 21, 1984, at the Music Hall, Municipal Auditors in Kansas City, Kansas. The debate was moderated by Edwin Newman, formerly of NBC News and featured a panel featuring Georgie Anne Geyer of Universal Press Syndicate, Marvin Kalb of NBC News, journalist Henry Trewhitt and Morton Kondracke of New Republic. The topics were defense and foreign policy issues.

The debate is often seen as a victory for Reagan, most famously due to the line "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience," it was received with laughter from the audience, and Mondale himself. Mondale later said that it was this moment when he realized he would lose the election.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: CPD: 1984 Debates. 2020-09-29. www.debates.org.
  2. Web site: Debate Between the President and Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale in Kansas City, Missouri | Ronald Reagan .
  3. Web site: CPD: 1984 Debates. 2020-09-29. www.debates.org.
  4. News: Weigel . David . 2012-10-10 . When Ronald Reagan Blew a Presidential Debate and Dropped Seven Points in the Polls . 2024-04-24 . Slate . en-US . 1091-2339.
  5. Web site: AllPolitics - 1984 Debates Overview . 2024-04-24 . edition.cnn.com.
  6. Book: Historic Documents on Presidential Elections 1787–1988. Congressional Quarterly, Inc.. 1991. 0-87187-607-8. Nelson, Michael. registration. pp. 785ff.
  7. Book: American Presidential Campaigns and Elections. M.E. Sharpe Inc.. 2003. 0-7656-8042-4. Shade. William G.. Campbell. Ballard C.. Coenen. Craig R.. 966.
  8. Book: Light, Paul C.. The Elections of 1984. Lake, Celinda. Congressional Quarterly, Inc.. 1985. 0-87187-330-3. Nelson, Michael. The Election: Candidates, Strategies and Decisions. registration. pp. 103, 107–108.
  9. News: Bush and Ferraro Debate: Disagree About Leadership, Foreign Policy and Religion . . . 1984-10-12.
  10. Web site: Vice President Walter Mondale Interview | Debating Our Destiny | May 25, 1990 | PBS. PBS.