1976 Debates

There were three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate during the 1976 general election.

Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

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September 23, 1976

October 6, 1976

October 22, 1976

October 15, 1976 (vice presidential)


General Election Presidential Debate

Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President

Date:

September 23, 1976

Location:

Walnut Street Theater

City:

Philadelphia, PA

Time:

9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Sponsor:

League of Women Voters

Moderator:

Edwin Newman, NBC News

Panelists:

Frank Reynolds, ABC; James Gannon, Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Drew, New Yorker Magazine

Viewership:

69.7 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format:

No opening statements; each questioned in turn with three minutes to answer; one optional follow-up question with two minutes to reply; two minute rebuttal; three minute closing statements.

Topic:

Domestic policy

Transcript

Video

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General Election Presidential Debate

Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President

Date:

October 6, 1976

Location:

Palace of Fine Arts

City:

San Francisco, CA

Time:

9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Sponsor:

League of Women Voters

Moderator:

Pauline Frederick, NPR

Panelists:

Max Frankel, New York Times; Henry L. Trewitt, Baltimore Sun; Richard Valeriani, NBC News

Viewership:

63.9 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format:

No opening statements; each questioned in turn with three minutes to answer; one optional follow-up question with two minutes to reply; two minute rebuttal; three minute closing statements

Topic:

Foreign and defense issues

Transcript

Video

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General Election Presidential Debate

Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President

Date:

October 22, 1976

Location:

Phi Beta Kappa Hall, College of William and Mary

City:

Williamsburg, VA

Time:

9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern

Sponsor:

League of Women Voters

Moderator:

Barbara Walters, ABC News

Panelists:

Joseph Kraft, syndicated columnist; Robert Maynard, Washington Post; Jack Nelson, Los Angeles Times

Viewership:

62.7 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format:

Candidates questioned in turn with two and a half minutes to answer; two minute rebuttal; optional follow-up questions with two minutes to answer; three minute closing statements

Transcript

Video

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Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library

Vice Presidential Debate

Walter Mondale (D), United States Senator (MN) and
Bob Dole (R), United States Senator (KS)

Date:

October 15, 1976

Location:

Alley Theatre

City:

Houston, TX

Time:

9:30 – 10:45 p.m. Eastern

Sponsor:

League of Women Voters

Moderator:

James Hoge, Chicago Sun Times

Panelists:

Hal Bruno, Newsweek; Marilyn Berger, NBC News; Walter Mears, Associated Press

Viewership:

43.2 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format:

Two minute opening statements; each questioned in turn with two and a half minutes to answer; two and a half minute rebuttals; one minute reply to rebuttal; three minute closing statements.

Topic:

Domestic and economic policies; foreign and defense issues

Miscellaneous:

First formal debate ever held between vice presidential candidates

Transcript:

Transcript not available

Video

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