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Who started America’s presidential debates?

3 October 2020

9:00 AM

3 October 2020

9:00 AM

Word for word

US presidential debates are often traced back to the first televised debate, between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy in 1960. But they were inspired by a series of seven debates held between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas while contesting an Illinois senatorial seat in 1858. The debates would have stretched a modern audience — they were each three hours long.

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