| TELEVISED PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES |
| Source: Commission on Presidential Debates (www.debates.org) |
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Democratic Candidate |
Republican Candidate |
Independent Candidate |
| 1960 |
John F. Kennedy |
Richard M. Nixon |
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United States Senator (Massachusetts) |
U.S. Vice President |
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| 1976 |
Jimmy Carter |
Gerald Ford |
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Former Georgia Governor |
U.S. President |
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| 1980 |
Jimmy Carter |
Ronald Reagan |
John Anderson (1) |
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U.S. President |
Former California Governor |
Former U.S. Congressman |
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| 1984 |
Walter Mondale |
Ronald Reagan |
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Former U.S. Vice President |
U.S. President |
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| 1988 |
Michael Dukakis |
George H. W. Bush |
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Massachusetts Governor |
U.S. Vice President |
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| 1992 |
Bill Clinton |
George H. W. Bush |
Ross Perot |
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Arkansas Governor |
U.S. President |
Businessman |
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| 1996 |
Bill Clinton |
Bob Dole |
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U.S. President |
U.S. Senator |
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| 2000 |
Al Gore |
George W. Bush |
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U.S. Vice President |
Texas Governor |
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| 2004 |
John F. Kerry |
George W. Bush |
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U.S. Senator, Massachusetts |
U.S. President |
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| 2008 |
Barack Obama |
John McCain |
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U.S. Senator, Illinois |
U.S. Senator, Arizona |
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| (1) John Anderson participated in only one of the two presidential debates. |
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