What does this forum think of the assertion that "debates don't matter"?

[Matty]

Has psephology given us an answer to this?

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

Hahaha

The debates that are going to be the most watched event of the year not mattering?

Hahaha

[Pyro]

They do. The debates always matter.

[Xing]

Ask Obama after the first debate in 2012 whether or not debates matter.

[‼realJohnEwards‼]

Horrible Assertion. Anyone remember 2012?

[jaichind]

I guess if we many debates and they are held long enough away from election day regression toward the mean will cancel out most of the effects.  Only election I can think of where debates mattered was 1980 but that was the only one and it was a week before the election. 

[Yank2133]

Horrible Assertion. Anyone remember 2012?

Yes and Obama still won comfortably.

It terms of changing people's minds, debates really don't matter. But it does help gin up more excitement for one's prefer candidate if he or she does well.

[‼realJohnEwards‼]

Horrible Assertion. Anyone remember 2012?

Yes and Obama still won comfortably.

It terms of changing people's minds, debates really don't matter. But it does help gin up more excitement for one's prefer candidate if he or she does well.

All debates matter... "please proceed governor" anyone?

[Hermit For Peace]

They don't matter to me.

[Xing]

Horrible Assertion. Anyone remember 2012?

Yes and Obama still won comfortably.

It terms of changing people's minds, debates really don't matter. But it does help gin up more excitement for one's prefer candidate if he or she does well.

Yes, because he didn't botch the other two. Keep in mind that Romney got a large bounce from his debate performance in an election that was generally pretty static. The polls have swung back and forth much more this year, so I wouldn't be surprised at all of this debate does make a difference in the polls.

[Yank2133]

Horrible Assertion. Anyone remember 2012?

Yes and Obama still won comfortably.

It terms of changing people's minds, debates really don't matter. But it does help gin up more excitement for one's prefer candidate if he or she does well.

Yes, because he didn't botch the other two. Keep in mind that Romney got a large bounce from his debate performance in an election that was generally pretty static. The polls have swung back and forth much more this year, so I wouldn't be surprised at all of this debate does make a difference in the polls.

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[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

If either candidate says something extremely stupid they will.

[Nym90]

They matter, but it's rare for one candidate to win a decisive victory, especially when considering all of the debates as opposed to just one individual debate.

So they usually don't end up having much net effect since the result is usually near to a tie in the eyes of the public.

This year has a good chance of being different in that regard, but we shall see.

[wolfsblood07]

Presidential debates should be a once about every 20 years occurrence.  A sitting president should not be expected to debate.  This year it's understandable.  But 2012 and 2004 were wastes of time.

[Mr. Smith]

Ever since CPD kicked out The League of Women Voters, they've usually meant diddly-squat.

And in this polarized political climate, you'll be lucky if it excites the bases....it's just nothing but talking points on both sides.

I will admit that given the astonishing media hyping for trump and Al Gore-esque dislike for Hillary, that if the debates do have an effect, it will be to throw Clinton under the bus entirely.

[Blue3]

Ask Obama after the first debate in 2012 whether or not debates matter.

This.
(along with the GOP primary debates in 2012)

No one after 2012 can honestly say the debates don't really matter.

[Maxwell]

Ask Obama after the first debate in 2012 whether or not debates matter.

that really makes me want the debates in 2012 to have never happened - I wonder if Obama could've drug some of the perennial Democrats running like Bob Kerrey over the line.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

If Hillary says something extremely stupid they will.

Trump people won't care.

[PresidentSamTilden]

I kind of agree with the statement. There's gonna be all this hype, and Hillary and Trump will go in there and say things they've said a million times. Yeah, new people will be listening, but they will respond predictably based on how the messages do with their respective backgrounds. Also, I've seen data indicate that debate bounces tend to fade with time.

[Suburbia]

Debates do matter because they expose to the public, usually low-information voters who tune into Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor/Bachlorette, to the candidates up-close. It does matter because policy issues are being discussed.

[Kingpoleon]

I guess if we many debates and they are held long enough away from election day regression toward the mean will cancel out most of the effects.  Only election I can think of where debates mattered was 1980 but that was the only one and it was a week before the election. 

There were two debates then, and the most notable debate win was Kennedy-Nixon 1960.

[pho]

Michael Dukakis and the death penalty.
Nixon sweating.
Ford and the Soviets in eastern Europe.

These debate moments arguably decided the election, they matter.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Because someone read it somewhere.

They do matter.