Has a VP debate ever changed the outcome of an election?

[FreeState]

Im not sure but I cant remember any in recent history that have. In fact I hardly remember any of them that I have watched (all of them in the last 20 years...).

[vanderBeth]

1. I doubt it.

But have we ever had a VP candidate quite like Palin?

[Kierkegaard]

3. Quayle?

Pretty close call.

[vanderBeth]

6. Quite frankly, that's an insult to Quayle.

[kansasblue]

2. Benson Quayle may be similar to this one.

Benson(D) did very well....

But your question... did it change the election. No.. Dukakis lost.

[FreeState]

8. I just found that one online with all the presidential ones too

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7633083.stm

for those that want to watch them...


Thanks for your comment too... I think even if Palin does great it wont effect the publics view of her or McCain... but there is always a first

[Jennicut]

4. Has any VP debate ever been this anticipated?

I doubt it will be a game changer but everyone is curious because she is certifiably nuts and might be an idiot or simply out of her league. It is also a man vs a woman which some people seem to have a problem with, as if its such a new weird thing in presidential politics.

[tpi10d]

5. I was born in 1952 and don't recall any

Probably the most lopsided was Bentsen vs. Quayle. Didn't appear to change a thing re: election.

If the conventional wisdom is McCain is erratic and impulsive a poor performance by Palin would serve to reinforce that. I can't see much overall benefit from a relatively "strong" performance from Palin.

[MadrasT]

7. I don't think so, but

we've never had a presidential candidate on the brink of death before he even gets elected before, either.

[Clio the Leo]

9. Have we ever had an idiot, whack job hockey mom running? NT

[HughMoran]

10. Even Lloyd beating on Quayle had little effect

It's not usually a big deal.

[jobycom]

14. And Bentsen shredded Quayle, who was far worse than Palin

didn't matter. That's why I don't understand anyone wasting time on insulting her. Even if we convince the world that she's unqualified and dishonest, people are only going to vote on McCain and Obama. I'm not even sure people vote on them, even. They vote on party, they vote on pet issues, they vote on how their pocketbooks are doing...

Palin is so far down the line of concerns for people that we help McCain with all this whining about her, by distracting attention from just how out of touch he is.

[HughMoran]

15. As they were saying on Olbermann - Biden just needs to remain calm

He needs to keep his answers simple and short - no rambling - that gets him in trouble.

[rufus dog]

11. Nah, and it is a stretch to think this one will

She has had two weeks to prep, almost full time, for short answers to what a dozen questions! Eight you could probably lock and load. That would leave prepping for four short questions, so they teach her fifty! I think it is most likely that they are teaching her to answer in very short statements to avoid the Couric type response. If Ifill doesn't push her hard then she will get by. That being said, she could be a complete goof and mess it up.

[scheming daemons]

12. The first VP debate ever was in 1976 (Dole v Mondale).... not many opportunities

Gore-Quayle-Stockdale was certainly very interesting.


It helped END Perot's campaign.

[Pab Sungenis]

16. 1976 Dole/Mondale may have changed the outcome.

Both Republican candidates made gaffes in their debates that year. Ford's claim that Poland wasn't under Soviet influence, and Dole's claim that World War II was a "Democrat war."

If either debate had gone better for the Republicans, Ford might have won instead of Carter. It was a razor thin election.

[Mike Nelson]

13. Bush/Quayle v. Clinton/Gore

Bush's refusal to dump Quayle might have hurt him.
I also think Lieberman turned out to be a bad choice; Tennessee didn't like him much.

[pnwmom]

17. No, but there has never been such an unqualified VP candidate. n/t

[TheKentuckian]

18. It wasn't due to the debate

but I will stand behind my belief that we win beyond cheating margin without Joementum.