How do political debates help and hurt American democracy? Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Republican primary debate and discuss the long legacy of the institution, from Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s proto-debates with voters during the contentious 1800 election, to the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, to the iconic 1960 televised debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. 

Heather and Joanne discuss their own experiences participating in debates in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history.

Now & Then is ending on September 13th. Leave us a voicemail with your favorite moment from the show at 669-247-7338 or write to us at [email protected].

For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/looking-ahead-a-viewers-guide-to-presidential-debates/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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