This “Clash in Cleveland” will have its own tempo and tone, but the 36 such debates since 1960 have elements in common. President Ronald Reagan did so poorly in the first 1984 debate with Walter Mondale that news reports questioned whether, at 73, he was too old. Yet debates are rarely dispositive. Usually, though, debates tend to harden trends already present in the race. Mr. Dukakis had already fallen behind in August amid charges that he was too far left; the debate continued his slide.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 23, 2020 22:41 UTC