The 2016 United States presidential debates were a series of highly anticipated events that brought together the leading candidates for the nation's highest office. These debates, organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), a non-profit organization, provided a crucial platform for voters to assess the candidates' positions and demeanor. The series included three presidential debates and one vice-presidential debate, each with specific
formats designed to facilitate discussion and engagement.
The First Presidential Debate: Hofstra University
The first presidential debate took place on Monday, September 26, 2016, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. This event marked a significant moment as Hillary Clinton became the first woman to debate as part of an American presidential debate. Lester Holt of NBC served as the moderator for this initial encounter. The debate was structured into six segments, each lasting approximately 15 minutes. The moderator introduced a topic, and each candidate was given two minutes to respond. This was followed by about 8 minutes and 45 seconds of facilitated discussion between the two candidates, with an emphasis on ensuring both received roughly equal speaking time. The questions posed during the 90-minute debate were solely at the moderator's discretion and were not shared with the commission or either campaign beforehand. Candidates spoke from behind individual podiums, and while applause was permitted at the beginning and end, audience participation was generally restricted, though sporadic applause did occur.
Reception to the first debate was largely in favor of Hillary Clinton. A CNN/ORC poll of debate viewers indicated that 62% believed Clinton won, compared to 27% for Donald Trump. Public Policy Polling found 51% thought Clinton won, while 40% favored Trump. YouGov reported 57% for Clinton and 30% for Trump. Politico/Morning Consult showed 49% of likely voters thought Clinton won, 26% for Trump, and 25% undecided. Echelon Insights polling suggested Clinton won 48-22, and that the debate made 41% of respondents more likely to vote for Clinton, versus 29% for Trump. Reuters/Ipsos found 56% thought Clinton performed better, while 26% thought Trump did. An NBC News/SurveyMonkey poll showed 52% of likely voters who followed the debate chose Clinton as the winner, 21% chose Trump, and 26% did not choose either. Gallup reported 61% thought Clinton did a better job to 27% for Trump. A Fox News poll showed 61% thought Clinton won, while 21% said Trump did. An ABC News/The Washington Post poll indicated 53% thought Clinton won, with 18% for Trump. A CBS News poll showed 32% of likely voters thought better of Clinton after the debate, but only 10% thought better of Trump. FiveThirtyEight noted that every scientific poll at that point suggested voters believed Clinton outperformed Trump. A panel of Los Angeles Times analysts concluded Clinton won all six segments, and 79% of swing-state party officials and strategists surveyed by Politico agreed Trump did not win.
The Second and Third Presidential Debates
The second presidential debate took place on October 9 at Washington University in St. Louis and featured a town hall format, allowing for direct questions from audience members. The third and final presidential debate was held on October 19 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. This last debate concluded the series of direct confrontations between the two major party candidates. The Commission on Presidential Debates sets specific eligibility criteria for candidates to participate in these events. To be eligible, candidates must be constitutionally qualified, appear on enough state ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning a majority in the Electoral College, and demonstrate a support level of at least 15% of the national electorate. This support is determined by averaging the most recently publicly reported results from five selected national public opinion polling organizations at the time of the determination. These debates are crucial for informing the public and shaping perceptions during a presidential election cycle.
Viewership for these debates was substantial, with the first presidential debate setting a record for presidential debates with a live-TV audience of 84 million viewers. This high level of engagement underscores the importance the American public places on these direct exchanges between candidates. The debates serve as a significant forum for candidates to articulate their policies, challenge their opponents, and connect with voters across the nation. The structured format, combined with the high stakes of a presidential election, ensures that these events remain a central component of the democratic process in the United States.
