Unforgettable Presidential Debates That Captivated the Nation

Shortly after the first round of 2024 presidential debates between President Biden and former President Trump in what was to be a repeat matchup of the 2020 election, President Biden ended his campaign for re-election. The Democratic party, and Biden, enthusiastically endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the next Presidential candidate, and she accepted her party's nomination at the Democratic National Convention on August 22. Harris will face Trump on September 10 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia in what is expected to be one of the many unforgettable presidential debates that captivated the nation.

The first televised debate was in 1960 with Democratic John F. Kennedy going head to head against Republican Richard M. Nixon. (Technically the first televised debate occurred four years earlier when Adlai Stevenson challenged Dwight D. Eisenhower but two women – Eleanor Roosevelt for Stevenson and Senator Margaret Chase Smith of Maine for Eisenhower – debated on their behalf.) But after this initial debate, a long gap ensued, with the next debate not taking place until 1976, between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford at the Walnut Street Theater, setting off a history of presidential debates. (Don't miss these 10 fascinating facts about U.S. presidents you probably didn't know.)

To find the most unforgettable presidential debates that captivated the nation, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on audience viewership from the Commission on Presidential Debates. Televised presidential debates were ranked based on total television viewership. Supplemental data on broadcast date, moderator, and location is also from the CPD.

Here are the most unforgettable presidential debates that captivated the nation.

34. Bill Clinton vs. Bob Dole (2nd debate, 1996)

Total viewership: 36.3 million
Broadcast date: October 16, 1996
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Shiley Theater at the University of San Diego (San Diego, CA)

33. Al Gore vs. George W. Bush (2nd debate, 2000)

Total viewership: 37.5 million
Broadcast date: October 11, 2000
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC)

32. Al Gore vs. George W. Bush (3rd debate, 2000)

Total viewership: 37.7 million
Broadcast date: October 17, 2000
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Field House at Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

30. Al Gore vs. George W. Bush (1st debate, 2000)

Total viewership: 46.6 million
Broadcast date: October 3, 2000
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Clark Athletic Center at the University of Massachusetts (Boston, MA)

29. George W. Bush vs. John F. Kerry (2nd debate, 2004)

Total viewership: 46.7 million
Broadcast date: October 8, 2004
Moderator: Charles Gibson (ABC)
Location: Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

28. George W. Bush vs. John F. Kerry (3rd debate, 2004)

Total viewership: 51.1 million
Broadcast date: October 13, 2004
Moderator: Bob Schieffer (CBS)
Location: Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium at ASU (Tempe, AZ)

27. John McCain vs. Barack Obama (1st debate, 2008)

Total viewership: 52.4 million
Broadcast date: September 26, 2008
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)

26. John McCain vs. Barack Obama (3rd debate, 2008)

Total viewership: 56.5 million
Broadcast date: October 15, 2008
Moderator: Bob Schieffer (CBS)
Location: Hofstra University (Hempstead, NY)

25. Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney (3rd debate, 2012)

Total viewership: 59.2 million
Broadcast date: October 22, 2012
Moderator: Bob Schieffer (CBS)
Location: Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University (Boca Raton, FL)

24. John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon (4th debate, 1960)

Total viewership: 60.4 million
Broadcast date: October 21, 1960
Moderator: Quincy Howe (ABC)
Location: ABC Studios (New York, NY)

23. John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon (2nd debate, 1960)

Total viewership: 61.9 million
Broadcast date: October 7, 1960
Moderator: Frank McGee (NBC)
Location: WRC-TV studios (Washington, D.C.)

22. George W. Bush vs. John F. Kerry (1st debate, 2004)

Total viewership: 62.4 million
Broadcast date: September 30, 2004
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Convocation Center at the University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL)

21. George Bush vs. Ross Perot (1st debate, 1992)

Total viewership: 62.4 million
Broadcast date: October 11, 1992
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (PBS)
Location: Field House at Washington University in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)

20. Jimmy Carter vs. Gerald Ford (3rd debate, 1976)

Total viewership: 62.7 million
Broadcast date: October 22, 1976
Moderator: Barbara Walters (ABC)
Location: Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall at W&M (Williamsburg, VA)

19. Joe Biden vs. Donald J. Trump (3rd debate, 2020)

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE - AUGUST 20: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivers his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention from the Chase Center on August 20, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. The convention, which was once expected to draw 50,000 people to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is now taking place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Total viewership: 63.0 million
Broadcast date: October 22, 2020
Moderator: Kristen Welker (NBC)
Location: Belmont University (Nashville, TN)

18. John McCain vs. Barack Obama (2nd debate, 2008)

Total viewership: 63.2 million
Broadcast date: October 7, 2008
Moderator: Tom Brokaw (NBC)
Location: Belmont University (Nashville, TN)

17. John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon (3rd debate, 1960)

Total viewership: 63.7 million
Broadcast date: October 13, 1960
Moderator: Bill Shadel (ABC)
Location: Split-screen telecast with Nixon and panelists in ABC studios in Los Angeles and Kennedy in ABC studio in New York (Los Angeles, CA & New York, NY)