The Most Infamous Political Debates In American History

Regardless of how much prep time or media experience they have, it's understandable for even the most experienced politicians to get nervous and misspeak when the nation is watching them live in a performance that could make or break their career. It's even worse when they're getting attacked by a rival standing eight feet away or while getting asked tough questions by the moderator. So it's no wonder that gaffes and embarrassments flow like the Nile whenever candidates take off the gloves for a televised debate. And even when everyone's on the ball, technical difficulties — and the candidates' response to them — might still plague the evening and overshadow whatever zingers or killer soundbites they've prepared.

In today's cutthroat political era, Americans are used to hearing a lot about elections, and if there's a presidential one coming up in the not-so-distant future? Forget about it — that's all you hear. (By comparison, France's campaign season is generally about two weeks, says NPR, and in Argentina, advertisements kick off 60 days before the election, with actual campaigning starting 25 days after that.)

Biden spent days preparing for the debate at Camp David. Trump forewent mock debates altogether. Going into June 27, there was hot debate within the press about how much, if any, effect the event could have on a largely deadlocked campaign. Journalists wondered how voters might react to a fresh look at Trump without cutaways, or whether Biden would target his rival's notorious Project 2025, which aims to radically transform American government. But as the debate wrapped, the immediate conversation wasn't on the substance of either candidate's words — it was on the stuttering, hoarse performance of Joe Biden.

Politics can be vicious. Watching a presidential primary debate between candidates who are theoretically on the same side can seem like a lesson in passive-aggression and taking someone down a peg or two. But viewers don't expect actual violence to break out. Even the most contentious political debates aren't supposed to end with one politician picking up their podium and throwing it at their opponent.