Top 10 Biggest FAILS During US Political Debates

Despite a promising start, the 1992 presidential campaign of independent candidates Ross Perot and James Stockdale ultimately suffered for several reasons. One of these was Stockdale’s appearance at the vice presidential debate. The decorated Naval officer was only given one week’s notice and as such, seemed far less prepared than his opponents. When asked to introduce himself, Stockdale opened with a series of existential questions that elicited laughter from the audience. Granted, the questions were rhetorical, but that didn’t stop the media from relentlessly lampooning the moment. As a result, many viewed Stockdale as too old and confused for the job. Ultimately, their ticket secured 19% of the vote - a remarkable feat for an independent, but not nearly enough to win the White House.

During the 2008 presidential debates, Republican candidate John McCain faced harsh criticisms for his perceived behavior towards his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama. At the first matchup, pundits noticed that McCain rarely looked at or engaged with Obama, a behavior seen as disrespectful. Then, to make matters worse, during their second showing, while in a discussion about energy, McCain referred to Obama as “that one,” a term widely viewed as derogatory. This choice of words did not endear him to voters. McCain’s apparent condescension towards then-Senator Obama drew heavy backlash and was highlighted by the Obama campaign itself. While the actual impact of this controversy is unknown, McCain ended up losing the election to Obama by a significant margin.

Rick Perry’s 2012 presidential bid got off to a promising start but eventually faltered during the primaries. However, the moment that would define Perry’s campaign came during the ninth Republican debate in November of 2011. When discussing how he would cut spending if elected, Perry mentioned that he had three federal agencies he wanted to get rid of. He successfully named the first two but completely blanked out on the third. Moderator John Harwood pressed him for the missing agency, leading Perry to concede defeat to his memory and utter the word that would mark his death knell. Ironically, the forgotten agency was the Department of Energy, which Perry later headed as secretary under President Trump.

Due to his fortuitous rise to the oval office, Gerald Ford earned the unofficial nickname ‘Accidental President’. That label gained further credibility due to this now infamous moment. During the second debate between Ford and the relatively unknown former Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, Ford delivered a major blunder. The incumbent President drifted far away from the facts by declaring that Eastern Europe was not under Soviet domination. Even after being asked to clarify, Ford doubled down on his initial statement, maintaining that Yugoslavia, Romania and Poland were entirely independent nations. This significant misstep appeared to solidify the perception of Ford as an unfit leader, and arguably contributed to his eventual loss at the polls.

Presidential debates hinge not only on a candidate’s spoken words, but also on those that are left unspoken. George H. W. Bush’s gesture at the second debate of the 1992 cycle certainly spoke volumes. Just as he was asked by an audience member how the national debt affected him personally, cameras caught the then-President glancing at his watch. While this may have been unintentional, the act was interpreted as a sign of Bush’s boredom and disinterest towards the struggles of everyday Americans. Compare that with Bill Clinton’s more empathetic response and Bush was all but done for. Years later, the former president admitted that he disliked debates and was, indeed, impatient for that particular one to be over.

At 41 years, Dan Quayle was a relatively young candidate for vice president at the 1988 election. Throughout the campaign, his age and limited political experience were frequent topics of discussion and they, expectedly, resurfaced at the vice presidential debate. When confronted about these concerns, Quayle defended his background by drawing a comparison to President John F. Kennedy’s early political career. While this comparison wasn’t necessarily inaccurate, Quayle’s opponent Lloyd Bentsen took issue with it and immediately put him down. Bentsen’s now iconic rebuttal garnered a thunderous applause from the audience and became a source of ridicule for Quayle. Nevertheless, the Bush-Quayle ticket ultimately emerged victorious in the 1988 election.

With decades of experience as a radio broadcaster and screen actor, Ronald Reagan was a charismatic public speaker - a pivotal attribute that helped him win the presidency in 1980. During his sole debate with the incumbent President Jimmy Carter, Reagan skillfully employed his public speaking prowess, delivering this famous quote. Carter, on the offensive, had taken Reagan to task over his opposition to Medicare in the past. Throughout the president’s speech, Reagan maintained a sly grin on his face, ultimately disarming his opponent with the memorable retort. Despite the factual basis of Carter’s criticism, he stood no chance against Reagan’s natural charisma and ability to leave a truly unforgettable impression.

The first ever presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon yielded polarizing opinions. Radio listeners thought both men did equally well, with some even favoring Nixon. However, television viewers overwhelmingly declared Kennedy the victor. This discrepancy arose because of Nixon’s ignorance of the power of TV. The then-vice president had declined using makeup, causing him to appear pale and sweat under the studio lights. Additionally, his choice of a light gray suit made him fade into the backdrop and his constantly shifting gaze created an impression of duplicity. Conversely, Kennedy presented a bronzed and more relaxed appearance, maintaining direct eye contact with the camera. As a result, he not only won the debate, but ultimately secured the presidency.

The second presidential debate of the 1988 election opened with an unusual question directed at the Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis, who was a staunch opponent of the death penalty. The moderator asked Dukakis if he would support executing an individual who had sexually assaulted and murdered his wife, Kitty. The Massachusetts Governor reiterated his anti-death penalty stance before devolving into a textbook discussion of its drawbacks, completely devoid of any emotion. Viewers were shocked by how cold and dispassionate the candidate came across while answering such a deeply personal question. It reinforced Dukakis’ perceived calculated demeanor and played a role in his eventual defeat against then-Vice President George H. W. Bush.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Donald Trump Constantly Interrupts Joe Biden
The Incumbent President Interrupted His Challenger a Staggering 73 Times

George W. Bush’s Apparent Irritation at John Kerry
You Know What They Say, Hurt People Hurt People

Ronald Reagan Flips the Age Question
Reagan Brilliantly Uses His Age & Experience to His Advantage

Marco Rubio, the Robot
Chris Christie Doesn’t Let Rubio’s Carefully Rehearsed Speech Go Unnoticed

Mike Pence & the Fly
This 2020 VP Debate Was a Three-Way Between Pence, Kamala Harris & the Fly

If there’s anything this 2000 presidential debate proved, it’s that you can know everything about policy and still fail spectacularly. In this matchup, Vice President Al Gore, a seasoned politician, faced off against Governor George Bush, who was perceived as less knowledgeable on policy matters. Despite a strong command of the actual substance of the debate, Gore came off as pompous and condescending. Whenever his opponent spoke, he sighed continuously and frequently rolled his eyes. Throw in his repeated use of overly technical terms and Gore successfully alienated a lot of viewers. There is no way to know for sure, but this may very well have been the moment that tipped the historically close election in Bush’s favor.

Which of these political debate fails did you watch live? Let us know in the comments below.