Analysis: US televised presidential debates have been puzzling voters since JFK first debated Richard Nixon in 1960 | Engalvo
When it comes to political theatre there's little to rival the spectacle of the US presidential debates every four years.
Kennedy went on to win the election narrowly, prompting some commentators to declare that debate the point at which style and appearances began to eclipse substance and policy in US politics.Twenty years later it was Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan who faced the cameras together. The former Hollywood star came out on top, at ease in the studio and addressing viewers directly with a devastating critique of the economy under Carter. The polls surged and Reagan won a decisive victory.
The first Trump-Clinton debate drew a record 84 million viewers and while it's impossible to predict how many will watch the 2020 version, many commentators expect ratings to be similarly massive, given the intense interest in the election and the fact so many people are staying home due to the pandemic.
There is also an expectation, based on past behaviour, that Trump will unleash his usual barrage of untruths. A key element will be whether Biden chooses to combat the President's habitual mendacity or takes the advice of many that he should lay out his own agenda rather than trying to engage too closely. How Wallace holds Trump to account will also be keenly watched.
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