Past debates are etched in history

WASHINGTON – Memorable moments from past presidential and vice presidential debates:

1976: Republican vice presidential nominee Bob Dole gained much of his reputation as a gruff attack dog in a debate with Democrat Walter Mondale. Among other things, Dole referred to the two world wars and Vietnam as “Democrat wars.” Dole mellowed by the time he ran for president 20 years later, but the images of ‘76 stuck with him for a long time.

1980: Ronald Reagan uttered his signature, “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” in his only debate with incumbent Jimmy Carter. Politicians today still try to use the line.

1984: Reagan, again, this time addressing concerns that he was too old to be president for a second term. He vowed not to make an issue of opponent Walter Mondale’s “youth and inexperience.” Even Mondale smiled.

1988: Michael Dukakis fumbled a question about the death penalty. Former CNN anchor Bernard Shaw asked whether Dukakis, who opposed the death penalty, would change his mind if Dukakis’ wife, Kitty, were raped and murdered. Dukakis ignored the reference to his wife and launched into a sterile defense of his political position. Critics said he was too cool and dispassionate and should have first come to a rhetorical defense of his wife.

1988: One of the classic put-down lines of political history happened in the vice presidential debate between Republican Dan Quayle and Democrat Lloyd Bentsen. When Quayle said he was as experienced as John F. Kennedy was when Kennedy became president, Bentsen declared: “Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

1992: Admiral James Stockdale, Ross Perot’s vice presidential running mate on the independent ticket, declared: “Who am I? Why am I here?” Stockdale did so poorly that many were still asking that after the debate.