Ghosts of debates past

The presidential debates have been the "getting to know you" vehicle of elections since the 1860 election. In our times, some of the remarkable wins and losses were established during the presidential and vice presidential contests, views by tens of millions. Here are some of the knock out punches and suicide statements that shaped the presidency.

1980: President James E. Carter and former California governor Ronald W. Reagan
In response to the image of warmonger and John Wayne hothead that the Democrats tried to build on Reagan, Carter accused Reagan of pushing us to war with Russia. The succinct KO response:
Reagan: There he goes again!

Reagan swept Carter out of office.

1984: President Ronald W. Reagan and former Vice President Walter Mondale
In response to the image of "tax and spend liberal" that the Republicans planted on Mondale, he had this to say on Reagan's proposed tax cuts, juxtaposed to Mondale's proposed hikes.

Mondale: In the end, I will raise your taxes; he will raise your taxes; the difference is that I am going to tell you about it now.

Mondale won two states in the election. Ouch!!!!!

1988 Vice President Danforth Quayle and Texas senator Lloyd Benson
In response to Quayle's frequent references to JFK, and the Republican attempts to show the leftward migration of the Democrat party since that time. The RNC wanted to sell the concept that JFK policies were more in line with current Republicans than Democrats. The Democrats had painted Quayle as an intellectual lightweight throughout the campaign, very successfully.

Benson: I knew Jack Kennedy. He was a friend of mine. And, sir, you are no Jack Kennedy.

The two fisted combination knockout was not enough to save the Dukakis campaign, but it became common to hear that were Bush elected, we must hope he survives his term, and if Dukakis wins, we must hope he does not. Fact checkers later verified that Benson had never actually known Kennedy, profesionally or socially. But that wasn't the point, was it?

2004 Vice President Richard B. Cheney and North Carolina senator John Edwards
After fairly successful Democrat efforts to demonize the VP and paint him as the "the man behind the curtain" in the Bush administation, John Edwards tried to paint himself as a leader with a new direction. Cheney's fierce KO was a stark sobering of the senator. Edwards had commented on his own experience as a senator.

Cheney: In my capacity as Vice President, I am president of the senate, the presiding officer... and I have never met you before you walked on stage tonight.

Fact checkers found that the two had crossed paths at a social function in Washington at some length of time earlier, but Cheney's point was made, forcefully. In fact, with presented with the evidence, Cheney remarked, "Obviously, he made no impression on me."

2004 President George W. Bush Jr. and Massachuetts senator John F. Kerry
Toward the end of the 3rd debate, the moderator tried an off topic question "What have the strong women in your life taught you. Kerry's remarks were largely considered condescending and patronizing, as his stiff patrician delivery had hampered him throughout his public appearances. He comments that he married up, a self-effacing remark in the eyes of most in the public, as he had married a fabulously wealthy widow, Teresa Heinz, and it came off badly, as an implication that he was a golddigger and proud of it. Bush, betraying the folksy image that he lived on, takes the Effus pitch out of the park.

Bush: To listen to them. To stand up straight and not scowl.

The actual comments are not as important as the fact that, after the long campaign season and at the end of the debate, Bush had the room rocking with laughter. People obviously took it home. For all the attempts to demonize Bush and paint him as an intellectual lightweight, he walked away with 3 million more voters that didn't believe it, or didn't care.

Oddly enough, the best debater in recent presidential memory, William J. B. Clinton, scored no great KO's, even on the hapless debate style of Robert Dole. Whatever he did was obviously effective so perhaps he did not need them. Bush also did not score one on the extremely vulnerable Albert Gore Jr. I hope that McCain and Obama, and certainly Biden and Palin, can produce some fire.