Debate Watch 2016: The Third Debate

[This was first published with a live-stream on 9/9 (first debate), and updated 10/10 (second debate) and 10/20 third debate) with archival debate footage from PBS.org. Scroll to the bottom for footage from the first and second debates.]

1960 was the first year that US presidential candidates debated on live television. Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard Nixon politely responded to questions from four network correspondents. In the clip below, watch Kennedy deflect a question about his age (too young!) by mapping out the fundamental differences between the two parties going back decades. Nixon, in turn, speaks to his experience as VP. Those watching the debate on TV gave the debate to the more charismatic Kennedy, while radio listeners named Nixon the winner. The age of visual identity was here to stay.

Fast forward 55 years. The third and final of three 2016 presidential debates took place in Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on October 20 at 9pm ET. Chris Wallace moderated and originated the questions.

Who Was Fact-Checking the Debate?

With the emergence of live streaming and live blogging, live fact checking has become an online debate staple. This debate is no exception: Several news organizations and sites had their fact checkers responding in real time to statements made by the debate participants — including the moderators. Among the fact-checkers:

• The New York Times’s fact checking might be the easiest to read
• PBS has a full transcript, with interwoven analysis and fact checking provided by NPR’s newsroom and the newsroom.
• PolitiFact (you can also look at Clinton and Trump’s records on PolitiFact’s Truth-O Meter here
• Wired live-blogged the debate with fact-checking

The First Debate

The Second Debate

Featured photo: Joe Mabel, Wikimedia Commons