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The CNN/YouTube Republican debate is tomorrow, and I’ll probably forget to watch. But perhaps in five or ten years I can cherry-pick some of the funnier moments and post them for you here. In the second installment of our laziest and least-frequent regular feature, we’ve rounded up a few great moments in presidential (and vice-presidential) debate history.
1. Lloyd Bentsen vs. Dan Quayle
Year: 1988
Quote: “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”
2. Ronald Reagan vs. Walter Mondale
Year: 1984
Quote: “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”
3. Admiral James Stockdale
Date: 1992
Quote: “I know how governments…how American governments…can be…”
Before we get to more videos, here are a few zingers and gaffes I couldn’t find on YouTube.
“When I hear your new ideas, I’m reminded of that ad, ‘Where’s the beef?’” –Walter Mondale addressing Gary Hart in the Democratic Primary Debate, March 11, 1984
* * * * *
“There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe, and there never will be under a Ford administration.” –Gerald Ford, misspeaking in a debate with Jimmy Carter, October 8, 1976
* * * * *
Moderator: “Senator Dole, the president said in his opening statement, ‘We are better off today than we were four years ago.’ Do you agree?”Bob Dole: “Well, he’s better off than he was four years ago.”
Bill Clinton: “I agree with that. That’s right.” –October 6, 1996
Here are a few from this year’s campaign.
4. John McCain on Hillary Clinton
Date: 2007
Quote: “I wasn’t there [at Woodstock]…I was tied up at the time.”
5. Joe Biden on Rudy Giuliani
Date: 2007
Quote: “There’s only three things he mentions in a sentence: a noun, a verb and 9/11.”
6. Dennis Kucinich on UFOs
Date: 2007
Quote: “Did you see a UFO?” “I did.”
7. Rudy Giuliani on Abortion
Date: 2007
Quote: “For someone who went to parochial schools all his life, this is a very frightening thing that’s happening right now.” [Thanks to reader Christopher Handel for sending this one in.]
Do you have a favorite debate moment we didn’t mention? A different Reagan knockout blow? Clinton working the crowd? A classic Chester A. Arthur zinger? Let us know.
Last time on ‘The Projectionist’: Six Supergroups Who Saved The World.
Comments (13)
Comment
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I can’t get enough of that Bentsen clip.
posted by Charlotte on 11-27-2007 at 2:31 pm
Is Admiral Stockdale somehow related to Miss Teen South Carolina?
posted by JHop on 11-27-2007 at 4:21 pm
How about Al Gore’s pronounced sighing? To be fair and balanced, as they say, how about Bush Senior checking his watch?
posted by Hamilton on 11-27-2007 at 5:21 pm
What, no Kennedy/Nixon? Only the first explicit evidence of the power of TV in persuading voters. Nixon actually out-talked Jack debate-wise, but everyone who saw it thought JFK won because he just plain looked better.
posted by Johnny Cat on 11-27-2007 at 10:11 pm
although not a debate…1884 James Blaine made up a campaign rhyme to tease Grover cleaveland about his illegitimate son
“Ma ma wheres my pa?…..gone to the white house ha haha”
Grover’s campaign reply
“James G blaine…the continental liar from the state of Maine”
posted by Chris Coultas on 11-27-2007 at 11:24 pm
Was there a memorable moment from the Kennedy-Nixon debate? Or was the memorable part a sweaty Nixon looking uncomfortable? I didn’t want to post a nine-minute clip. But if anyone wants to watch and point us to a particular exchange, let me know and we can add it.
posted by Jason on 11-28-2007 at 6:48 am
I always liked the Reagen/Bobby Kennedy debate.
posted by Tuck on 11-28-2007 at 7:43 am
I haven’t been able to find any footage of the forgotten Reagan/RFK debate. That debate was one of ‘14 Stories You May Not Know About Bobby Kennedy’
mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/9199
posted by Jason on 11-28-2007 at 10:15 am
SNL- “Strategery”
posted by Nick on 11-28-2007 at 12:20 pm
You are missing one of the truly excellent debate moments.
Giuliani is asked about abortion… and lightning strikes and cuts out his mike! Like Zeus throwing lightning from Olympus to stop A pro-lifer from winning the nomination.
youtube[dot]com/watch?v=ibqwKb4cCsg
posted by Christopher Handel on 11-28-2007 at 7:30 pm
Reagan v. Bush, 1980 NH Republican debate,
“I paid for this microphone!”
posted by Barrett on 2-28-2008 at 1:42 pm
I have a few minutes of the 1967 Reagan – Kennedy debate, in color, from the 1967 telecast. Email me if intereted….Slade
posted by Slade on 5-29-2008 at 8:18 pm
Best bet has to be when during a debate, the moderator asks Obama’s view of Toni Morrison’s (I believe it was her) calling President Clinton “America’s first black president”. His answer, as well as Hilary’s face, is beyond priceless.
posted by Eric Taylor on 7-22-2008 at 9:47 pm