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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October 15, 1976 (vice presidential)
General Election Presidential Debate
Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President
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Date: |
September 23, 1976 |
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Location: |
Walnut Street Theater |
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City: |
Philadelphia, PA |
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Time: |
9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
League of Women Voters |
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Moderator: |
Edwin Newman, NBC News |
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Panelists: |
Frank Reynolds, ABC; James Gannon, Wall Street Journal; Elizabeth Drew, New Yorker Magazine |
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Viewership: |
69.7 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research) |
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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. |
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Topic: |
Domestic policy |
General Election Presidential Debate
Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President
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Date: |
October 6, 1976 |
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Location: |
Palace of Fine Arts |
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City: |
San Francisco, CA |
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Time: |
9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
League of Women Voters |
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Moderator: |
Pauline Frederick, NPR |
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Panelists: |
Max Frankel, New York Times; Henry L. Trewitt, Baltimore Sun; Richard Valeriani, NBC News |
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Viewership: |
63.9 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research) |
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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 |
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Topic: |
Foreign and defense issues |
General Election Presidential Debate
Jimmy Carter (D), Former Georgia Governor and
Gerald Ford (R), President
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Date: |
October 22, 1976 |
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Location: |
Phi Beta Kappa Hall, College of William and Mary |
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City: |
Williamsburg, VA |
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Time: |
9:30 – 11:00 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
League of Women Voters |
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Moderator: |
Barbara Walters, ABC News |
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Panelists: |
Joseph Kraft, syndicated columnist; Robert Maynard, Washington Post; Jack Nelson, Los Angeles Times |
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Viewership: |
62.7 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research) |
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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 |
Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library
Vice Presidential Debate
Walter Mondale (D), United States Senator (MN) and
Bob Dole (R), United States Senator (KS)
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Date: |
October 15, 1976 |
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Location: |
Alley Theatre |
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City: |
Houston, TX |
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Time: |
9:30 – 10:45 p.m. Eastern |
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Sponsor: |
League of Women Voters |
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Moderator: |
James Hoge, Chicago Sun Times |
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Panelists: |
Hal Bruno, Newsweek; Marilyn Berger, NBC News; Walter Mears, Associated Press |
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Viewership: |
43.2 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research) |
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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. |
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Topic: |
Domestic and economic policies; foreign and defense issues |
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Miscellaneous: |
First formal debate ever held between vice presidential candidates |
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Transcript: |
Transcript not available |