first up 1960 John F Kennedy versus Richard Nixon most composed Under Pressure Kennedy looks Cal and confident while Vice President Nixon sweated under the studio lights Kennedy surged in the polls now let's move to 1980 Jimmy Carter versus Ronald Reagan most effective at turning the tables Reagan's quick wited comeback to President Carter's criticism is seen as a turning point that helped Reagan win by a landslide now let's hit the year 2000 by president Al Gore versus Governor George W bush most disruptive sigh Gore's audible size and perceived condescension of bush didn't do him any favors Gore's demeanor turned off some voters and impacted the tight elections outcome in the weeks following the first 2024 debate Biden made the surprise announcement that he would not seek reelection these debates demonstrate how a candidate's performance can make or break moments in their campaign