Zingers and Gaffes: A Look At the Utility of Presidential Debates

The presidential debate has been a right of passage for both primary and general election candidates for more than thirty years. Now in the midst of another election season, it looks like this well-established tradition might be fading away. But do debates inform voters, and do they change minds? We take a look at how the modern presidential debate came to be, and what their absence would mean for candidates and voters. Email us at considerthis@npr.org Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy