Introduction September 26, 1960 marked the beginning of televised presidential debates in the history of general elections in the United States of America. The constants in the 1960 debate, which occurred in Chicago, were Richard Nixon and John Kennedy. Analysts believe that it was an evenly matched debate. Additionally, most analysts believe that Nixon could have won if the date was aired only on radio. However, the television audience was inspired by Kennedy’s charm and personality, thereby considering him the winner. Political scientists believe that Kennedy won the 1960 election mainly because of his outstanding performance during the debate (Dorning). This perspective illustrates the importance of televised presidential debates. In particular, the debates enable voters to see the presidential aspirants in a real world setting. This involves evaluating how candidates answer questions without scripts, as well as, their actions and reactions in public. These evaluations usually influence voting pattern and voters’ perception of the candidates. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the influence of televised debates on presidential elections (voters). It will also examine the effect of social media and instant feedback on presidential debates. Informing the Public The United States is a large country in terms of its geographical area and population. Thus, presidential candidates cannot easily traverse the entire country in order to meet voters and to articulate their policies. In this regard, presidential debates give candidates the opportunity to inform the public about their policy stance on various issues that affect the lives of Americans. During the debates, candidates are asked the same questions and given the same amount to time to answer them. The importance of this system of debate is that it enables the electorate to compare candidates’ approaches to various issues that affect the country (Campbell 46). In this context, the debates help the public to decide on whom to vote for on the Election Day. Presidential debates also enable the public to understand the personality traits of the candidates. Prior to the debates, most candidates are hardly known to the public in terms of their communication styles and ability to manage their emotions, as well as, their reaction to criticism. However, the debates enable voters to examine the character of their preferred candidate in order to make informed decisions on the Election Day (Kraus 56). The factors that matter to the viewers of the presidential debates include how the candidates present themselves, their appearance, and their ability to connect directly with the audience. This indicates that the debates serve as a mechanism for assessing the character of presidential candidates. However, presidential debates do not always provide enough information about the candidates and their policies. Candidates are usually aware of the public expectation concerning their performance during presidential debates. Consequently, they spend a lot of time and resources to prepare for the debates. This includes rehearsing answers to potential questions and practicing to communicate in a manner that is likely to appeal to the audience (Kraus 79). In this regard, preparations enable candidates to conceal their weaknesses during the debates. Additionally,