United States presidential debates

A United States presidential debate is held every four years, and is only held close to a United States presidential election. Its topics include controversial topics, economics, inflation, and immigration, most of which are organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) since 1988, with the exception of 2024, when former president and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump and incumbent president and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden criticized and rejected the CPD's schedule and date, and instead debated on CNN and ABC, after President Biden withdrew from the election, Vice President Kamala Harris replaced him and was nominated by the Democratic Party, debating on ABC.

 Viewership 

 1960 debates 
The first debate for the 1960 U.S. presidential election attracted more than 66 million viewers out of a total population of 179 million, making it one of the most watched broadcasts in American television history.

 1980 debates 
The 1980 debates for the 1980 U.S. presidential election drew 80 million viewers out of a national population of 226 million, making it one of the highest-rated presidential televised debates until 2016.

 2016 debates 
The 2016 presidential debate between then-Republican candidate Donald Trump and Secretary of State and also Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton attracted an audience of more than 84 million out of a then-327 million viewers in the United States, making it the most-watched presidential debate ever, beating the record set in 1980.

 List 
Notes:

 D = Democratic 
 R = Republican
 I = Independent
 * = Incumbent president at that time.
 ** = Incumbent vice president at that time.

ElectionDebatePresidential debatesSponsorLocationModeratorsTelevision ViewershipSource1960First debateRichard Nixon (R)John F. Kennedy (D)ABC, CBS, and NBCWBBM-TV studiosChicago, IllinoisHoward K. Smith of CBS66.4 millionSecond debateRichard Nixon (R)John F. Kennedy (D)WRC-TV studiosWashington, D.C.Frank McGee of NBC61.9 millionThird debateRichard Nixon (R)John F. Kennedy (D)Split-screen telecast with Nixon and panelists in ABC studios in Los Angeles and Kennedy in ABC studios in New YorkBill Shadel of ABC63.7 millionFourth debateRichard Nixon (R)John F. Kennedy (D)ABC studiosNew York City, New YorkQuincy Howe of ABC60.4 million1976First debateGerald Ford*(R)Jimmy Carter(D)League of Women VotersWalnut Street TheaterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaEdwin Newman of NBC69.7 millionSecond debateGerald Ford*(R)Jimmy Carter(D)Palace of Fine ArtsSan Francisco, CaliforniaPauline Frederick of NPR63.9 millionVP DebateBob Dole (R)Walter Mondale (D)Alley TheatreHouston, TexasJames Hoge of the Chicago Sun-Times43.2 millionThird debateGerald Ford*(R)Jimmy Carter(D)Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at W&MWilliamsburg, VirginiaBarbara Walters of ABC62.7 million1980First debateRonald Reagan (R)John B. Anderson (I)Baltimore Convention CenterBaltimore, MarylandBill Moyers of PBSSecond debateJimmy Carter* (D)Ronald Reagan (R)Public Music HallCleveland, OhioHoward K. Smith of ABC80.6 million1984First debateRonald Reagan* (R)Walter Mondale (D)Kentucky Center for the Performing ArtsLouisville, KentuckyBarbara Walters of ABC65.1 millionVP debateGeorge H. W. Bush** (R)Geraldine Ferraro (D)Philadelphia Convention Hall and Civic CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaSander Vanocur of ABC56.7 millionSecond debateRonald Reagan* (R)Walter Mondale (D)Music Hall, Municipal AuditoriumKansas City, MissouriEdwin Newman67.3 million1988First debateGeorge H. W. Bush** (R)Michael Dukakis (D)Commission on Presidential DebatesWait Chapel at Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North CarolinaJim Lehrer of PBS65.1 millionVP debateDan Quayle (R)Lloyd Bentsen (D)Omaha Civic AuditoriumOmaha, NebraskaJudy Woodruff of PBS46.9 millionSecond debateGeorge H. W. Bush** (R)Michael Dukakis (D)Pauley Pavilion at UCLALos Angeles, CaliforniaBernard Shaw of CNN67.3 million1992First debateGeorge H. W. Bush* (R)Bill Clinton (D)Ross Perot (I)Field House at Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriJim Lehrer of PBS62.4 millionVP debateDan Quayle** (R)Al Gore (D)James Stockdale (I)Theater for the Arts at Georgia TechAtlanta, GeorgiaHal Bruno of ABC51.2 millionSecond debateGeorge H. W. Bush* (R)Bill Clinton (D)Ross Perot (I)Robins Center at University of RichmondRichmond, VirginiaCarole Simpson of ABC69.9 millionThird debateGeorge H. W. Bush* (R)Bill Clinton (D)Ross Perot (I)Wharton Center for Performing Arts at MSUEast Lansing, MichiganJim Lehrer of PBS66.9 million1996First debateBill Clinton* (D)Bob Dole (R)Mortensen Hall at The Bushnell Center for the Performing ArtsHartford, ConnecticutJim Lehrer of PBS46.1 millionVP debateAl Gore** (D)Jack Kemp (R)Mahaffey TheaterSt. Petersburg, Florida26.6 millionSecond debateBill Clinton* (D)Bob Dole (R)Shiley Theater at University of San DiegoSan Diego, California36.3 million2000First debateAl Gore** (D)George W. Bush (R)Clark Athletic Center at University of MassachusettsBoston, MassachusettsJim Lehrer of PBS46.6 millionVP debateJoe Lieberman (D)Dick Cheney (R)Norton Center for the Arts at Centre CollegeDanville, KentuckyBernard Shaw of CNN28.5 millionSecond debateAl Gore** (D)George W. Bush (R)Wait Chapel at Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, North CarolinaJim Lehrer of PBS37.5 millionThird debateAl Gore** (D)George W. Bush (R)Field House at Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri37.7 million2004First debateGeorge W. Bush* (R)John Kerry (D)Convocation Center at University of MiamiCoral Gables, FloridaJim Lehrer of PBS62.4 millionVP debateDick Cheney**(R)John Edwards (D)Veale Center at Case Western Reserve UniversityCleveland, OhioGwen Ifill of PBS43.5 millionSecond debateGeorge W. Bush* (R)John Kerry (D)Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriCharles Gibson of ABC46.7 millionThird debateGeorge W. Bush* (R)John Kerry (D)Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium at ASUTempe, ArizonaBob Schieffer of CBS51.1 million2008First debateJohn McCain (R)Barack Obama (D)University of MississippiOxford, MississippiJim Lehrer of PBS52.4 millionVP debateSarah Palin (R)Joe Biden (D)Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriGwen Ifill of PBS69.9 millionSecond debateJohn McCain (R)Barack Obama (D)Belmont UniversityNashville, TennesseeTom Brokaw of NBC63.2 millionThird debateJohn McCain (R)Barack Obama (D)Hofstra UniversityHempstead, New YorkBob Schieffer of CBS56.5 million2012First debateBarack Obama* (D)Mitt Romney (R)University of DenverDenver, ColoradoJim Lehrer of PBS67.2 millionVP debateJoe Biden** (D)Paul Ryan (R)Centre CollegeDanville, KentuckyMartha Raddatz of ABC51.4 millionSecond debateBarack Obama* (D)Mitt Romney (R)Hofstra UniversityHempstead, New YorkCandy Crowley of CNN65.6 millionThird debateBarack Obama* (D)Mitt Romney (R)Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn UniversityBoca Raton, FloridaBob Schieffer of CBS59.2 million2016First debateHillary Clinton (D)Donald Trump (R)Hofstra UniversityHempstead, New YorkLester Holt of NBC84 millionVP debateTim Kaine (D)Mike Pence (R)Longwood UniversityFarmville, VirginiaElaine Quijano of CBS36 millionSecond debateHillary Clinton (D)Donald Trump (R)Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriAnderson Cooper of CNN
Martha Raddatz of ABC66.5 millionThird debateHillary Clinton (D)Donald Trump (R)Thomas & Mack Center at University of Nevada, Las VegasParadise, NevadaChris Wallace of Fox71.6 million2020First debateDonald Trump* (R)Joe Biden (D)Health Education Campus Samson PavilionCleveland, OhioChris Wallace of Fox73.1 millionVP debateMike Pence* (R)Kamala Harris (D)Kingsbury Hall at University of UtahSalt Lake City, UtahSusan Page of USA Today57.9 millionSecond debateDonald Trump* (R)Joe Biden (D)Arsht CenterMiami, FloridaSteve Scully of C-SPANDebate cancelledThird debateDonald Trump* (R)Joe Biden (D)Belmont UniversityNashville, TennesseeKristen Welker of NBC63 million2024First debateJoe Biden* (D)Donald Trump (R)CNN, ABC, CBS (for VP debate)Techwood Turner Campus, Studio DAtlanta, GeorgiaJake Tapper of CNN
Dana Bash of CNN51.3 millionSecond debateKamala Harris**(D)Donald Trump (R)National Constitution CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaDavid Muir of ABC
Linsey Davis of ABC67.1 millionVP debateTim Walz (D)JD Vance (R)CBS Broadcast CenterNew York City, New YorkMargaret Brennan of CBS
Norah O'Donnell of CBS43 million

 Notes 

 References 

Category:United States presidential campaigns
Category:United States presidential elections
Category:2024 United States presidential election
Category:2024 United States presidential campaigns