Podium Clock, Presidential Debates, 1976
date: label: associated date
content: 1976
notes: label: Description
content: This podium clock was used in the 1976 debates between President Gerald Ford, the Republican nominee, and Democratic challenger Jimmy Carter, former governor of Georgia. It was mounted on one of the podiums to help enforce the rules: three-minute answers, followed by two-minute rebuttals. But the first debate of the three held that year was also memorable for words that weren’t said. The sound went out and, for 27 minutes, Ford and Carter stood silently—and awkwardly—in place while the country watched and waited. Although they both later said they wished had been less ill at ease, Ford and Carter each acknowledged the respect they had for their opponent, a respect that grew into friendship later in their lives.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Political History: Political History, Campaign Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS EDUCATION FUND (THROUGH RUTH C. CLUSEN)
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1977.0477.01
label: accession number
content: 1977.0477
label: catalog number
content: 1977.0477.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Clock