The 1984 United States presidential election debates were held during the 1984 presidential election. Three debates were held between

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate, incumbent president Ronald Reagan and Democratic former vice president

Walter Mondale Walter Frederick "Fritz" Mondale (January 5, 1928 – April 19, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 42nd vice president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 under President Jimmy Carter. A U.S. senator from Minnesota ...

, the major candidates. One debate was held with their vice presidential

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s, incumbent vice president George H. W. Bush and congresswoman

Geraldine Ferraro Geraldine Anne Ferraro (August 26, 1935 March 26, 2011) was an American politician, diplomat, and attorney. She served in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1985, and was the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee ...

Debate schedule

October 7: First presidential debate (Center for the Performing Arts)

The first debate between president Ronald Reagan and former vice president Walter Mondale took place on Sunday, October 7, 1984 at the Center for the Performing Arts in

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. The debate was moderated by Barbara Walters of

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and featured a panel featuring James Wieghart of New York Daily News,

Diane Sawyer Lila Diane Sawyer (; born December 22, 1945) is an American television broadcast journalist known for anchoring major programs on two networks including ''ABC World News Tonight'', ''Good Morning America'', ''20/20'', and ''Primetime'' newsmagaz ...

, and Fred Barnes of New Republic''.'' The topics were economic and domestic policy issues.

October 11: Vice presidential debate (Pennsylvania Hall Civic Center)

The vice presidential debate between vice president George H. W. Bush and congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro took place on Thursday, October 11, 1984 at the Pennsylvania Hall Civic Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate was moderated by

Sander Vanocur Sander Vanocur (; born Alexander Vinocur, January 8, 1928 – September 16, 2019)
Retr ...

and featured a panel featuring John Mashek of U.S. News & World Report,

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Norma Quarles Norma Quarles (born November 11, 1936) is an American television reporter and anchor. She worked for NBC, CNN and PBS during her career. Early life Quarles was born in New York City in 1936 into a Trinidadian family. Her father worked at Macy's i ...

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, and Robert Boyd of Knight-Ridder Newspapers. The topics were domestic and foreign affairs. The result was proclaimed mostly even by newspapers, television, other media, and historians. pp. 785ff. p. 966. Women voters tended to think Ferraro had won, while men, Bush. pp. 103, 107–108. Some media, however, either declared Bush or Ferraro the winner. The candidates were both praised for their ability to debate.

Bush, Ferraro experience exchange

Ferraro handled a question about her experience at the debate, after being asked how her three House terms stacked up with Bush's two House terms, career as an ambassador to China and the United Nations, Director of Central Intelligence and four years as Vice President. The peak of the experience battle came when, during a discussion of the Carter administration in Iran and the Reagan administration in Lebanon, Bush said, "Let me help you with the difference, Mrs. Ferraro, between Iran and the embassy in Lebanon." Ferraro responded to cap what ''The New York Times'' termed "a bristling exchange", "Let me just say first of all, that I almost resent, Vice President Bush, your patronizing attitude that you have to teach me about foreign policy."

October 21: Second presidential debate (Music Hall, Municipal Auditorium)

The second and final debate between president Ronald Reagan and former vice president Walter Mondale took place on Sunday, October 21, 1984 at the Music Hall, Municipal Auditors in Kansas City, Kansas. The debate was moderated by Edwin Newman, formerly of

and featured a panel featuring Georgie Anne Geyer of Universal Press Syndicate, Marvin Kalb of NBC News, and Morton Kondracke of New Republic. The topics were defense and foreign policy issues. The debate is often seen as a victory for Reagan, most famously due to the line "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience," it was received with laughter from the audience, and Mondale himself. Mondale later said that it was this moment when he realized he would lose the election.

References

External links

Full video of the debate
on C-SPAN {{United States presidential debates 1984 United States presidential election October 1984 events in the United States 1984 in Pennsylvania United States presidential debates, 1984