... It was actually on CSPAN this morning in its totality. I was an adult in 1980, so I remember the politics of the time very well. What struck me was that I could not tell, by audience reaction, which side of the aisle was GOP and which was Democrat. Both sides applauded. Both sides of the aisle were respectful to President Carter. Nobody screamed out "You lie!". So I decided to go back and watch the Reagan/Carter debate and see what that looked like, 44 years later.
The stage has a plain blue curtain, blue carpet, and two podiums. The League of Women Voters used to moderate these debates, and they did so this night. Journalists - real ones - asked the questions. They were about the issues and not "gotchas". The audience was instructed not to react, and they largely didn't, although a couple of "Reaganisms" elicited laughter. The candidates were allowed to pause, gather thoughts, and sometimes fumble over their words a bit, and no one cared because what they said is what mattered. It was strictly policy - past, present, and proposed.
Things were bad in 1980 - inflation was at 20%year over year at one point. Russia had invaded Afghanistan ten months before and Iran overran our embassy and took hostages which they still held at the time. America seemed weakened on the world stage. And yet Reagan and Carter were running neck and neck until this debate. That was because people still had this image of Reagan being a belligerent warmonger who was going to send American troops all over the place and start a nuclear war. The debate demonstrated that Reagan could stand toe-to-toe with Carter. It also showed that he was not the scary warmonger many portrayed him to be. It played a key role in turning what was close race into an electoral landslide for Reagan.
I give this debate 8/10 based on its political and historical significance.
Interesting aside - In 1980 West Virginia was one of the few states to go for Carter and New York went - although narrowly - for Reagan. I can't imagine the same result occurring today regardless of the candidates or the circumstances. How things change.