Since 1992 no debate has effected the outcome of an election

[BadDog40]

And every candidate that was leading going into the debates won the election.

Maybe this article will ease some minds....

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/2016-presidential-debates/do-presidential-debates-impact-election-outcomes-n653801

[Thinkingabout]

1. Never in my lifetime has there been a candidate so unfit to be president as Trump.

[vdogg]

2. Not sure I agree with this

Obama really started pulling away from Romney after "please proceed". That was defininitely an inflection point in the 2012 election.

[kysrsoze]

3. Same thing with Gore allowing Bush to incorrectly correct him in 2000

He was a big enough idiot to actually apologize to Bush during that exchange... and Bush was wrong. Right there, I knew Gore had lost the election and the post-debate discussion highlighted it. The New York Times concurs...

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/09/25/us/politics/george-w-bush-al-gore-2000-presidential-debate.html?_r=0

[gabeana]

5. But Gore won more votes

The election was stolen but I understand you sentament

[karynnj]

4. If not for voter suppression in Ohio and the OBL tape in the last week, 2004 could have been the one

Before the debates Kerry was pretty far behind after being attacked incredibly at the Bush hate fest that the media failed to call what it was. However, part of the reason for that was not just Kerry's excellent debating skills, but the fact that many who did not watch the convention had seen very very little of him. Kerry was on target for a real upset come from behind win until that tape. Especially after the first debate the numbers switched. Romney also changed numbers in debate one, but Obama himself changed his strategy in debates 2 and 3.


This year BOTH candidates have received TONS of media. We all know who they are. I can not imagine what could possibly change the impression of either. Trump has already said so many unacceptable things that being sane for 90 minutes should not change that. I think HRC has a better chance of coming across as both very serious, experienced and sane, but also a warm, compassionate person. Not easy in a debate, but that could win people who are scared of Bush, but not really liking her - even as they could see her as President.