Tool 03 · Debates

Who held the floor, 1960 to 2024

The scraper kept every transcript's original HTML. Splitting it at each speaker label gives 44,255 turns across 179 debates, from Kennedy and Nixon in Chicago to the 2024 vice-presidential debate. Word counts stand in for talk time, since transcripts carry no timestamps.

Transcripts

179

26 Sep 1960 to 1 Oct 2024

Words transcribed

2.9M

44,255 speaking turns

Candidate turn, 1960s to 1980s

264 words

median of general-election and VP debates

Candidate turn, 2012 to 2024

85 words

same measure, recent debates

Six decades, four measures

Share of transcribed words spoken by moderators, panellists and questioners. Each dot is one debate; select a dot to open it (arrow keys move between dots), or use the list below.

General election Vice-presidential Primary

Show the numbers as a table

Per-debate measures
Date	Debate	Kind	Moderator share	Words per candidate turn	Turns	Candidates' grade
26 Sep 1960	Presidential Debate in Chicago	General election	17%	328	67	9.7
7 Oct 1960	Presidential Debate in Washington, DC	General election	20%	350	65	10.3
13 Oct 1960	Presidential Debate Broadcast from New York and Los Angeles	General election	18%	310	70	10.1
21 Oct 1960	Presidential Debate in New York	General election	11%	453	49	9.4
23 Sep 1976	Presidential Campaign Debate	General election	20%	269	90	10.4
6 Oct 1976	Presidential Campaign Debate	General election	23%	271	87	10.7
15 Oct 1976	Vice Presidential Debate in Houston, Texas	Vice-presidential	14%	329	75	9.0
22 Oct 1976	Presidential Campaign Debate	General election	23%	258	91	10.6
21 Sep 1980	Presidential Debate in Baltimore (Reagan-Anderson)	General election	17%	275	76	10.5
28 Oct 1980	Presidential Debate in Cleveland	General election	21%	212	135	11.6
28 Mar 1984	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Columbia University in New York City	Primary	15%	120	108	8.7
7 Oct 1984	Debate Between the President and Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale in Louisville, Kentucky	General election	25%	186	134	8.2
11 Oct 1984	Vice Presidential Debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Vice-presidential	19%	214	118	8.6
21 Oct 1984	Debate Between the President and Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale in Kansas City, Missouri	General election	22%	208	115	8.8
25 Sep 1988	Presidential Debate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina	General election	15%	180	148	7.7
5 Oct 1988	Vice Presidential Debate in Omaha, Nebraska	Vice-presidential	21%	186	142	8.9
13 Oct 1988	Presidential Debate at the University of California in Los Angeles	General election	17%	172	162	7.8
11 Oct 1992	Presidential Debate in St. Louis	General election	11%	226	143	6.9
13 Oct 1992	Vice Presidential Debate in Atlanta, Georgia	Vice-presidential	14%	52	329	7.3
15 Oct 1992	Presidential Debate at the University of Richmond	General election	13%	152	177	6.1
19 Oct 1992	Presidential Debate in East Lansing, Michigan	General election	13%	137	206	6.4
13 Jan 1996	Republican Presidential Candidates Forum in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	8%	200	137	7.3
6 Oct 1996	Presidential Debate in Hartford	General election	6%	174	147	7.2
9 Oct 1996	Vice Presidential Debate in St. Petersburg, Florida	Vice-presidential	6%	165	112	8.8
16 Oct 1996	Presidential Debate in San Diego	General election	14%	179	144	7.1
22 Oct 1999	Republican Presidential Candidates Forum in Durham, New Hampshire	Primary	12%	130	129	8.9
27 Oct 1999	Democratic Presidential Candidates Town Hall at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire	Primary	28%	139	123	7.6
28 Oct 1999	Republican Presidential Candidates Town Hall at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire	Primary	23%	171	126	7.4
21 Nov 1999	Republican Candidates Debate in Tempe, Arizona	Primary	8%	232	83	8.1
2 Dec 1999	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	18%	136	189	8.3
6 Dec 1999	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Phoenix, Arizona	Primary	17%	105	173	7.2
13 Dec 1999	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Des Monies, Iowa	Primary	21%	89	243	6.9
17 Dec 1999	Democratic Presidential Candidates Town Hall in Nashua, New Hampshire	Primary	21%	99	177	7.5
19 Dec 1999	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate on NBC News "Meet the Press"	Primary	24%	31	330	5.9
5 Jan 2000	Democratic Candidates Debate in Durham, New Hampshire	Primary	19%	91	150	7.8
6 Jan 2000	Republican Candidates Debate in Durham, New Hampshire	Primary	16%	52	274	6.5
7 Jan 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Columbia, South Carolina	Primary	21%	75	196	8.0
8 Jan 2000	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	13%	166	101	7.8
10 Jan 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan	Primary	17%	77	273	7.2
10 Jan 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan	Primary	16%	73	286	6.8
15 Jan 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Johnston, Iowa	Primary	9%	93	254	6.8
17 Jan 2000	Democratic Presidential Candidates Black-Brown Forum in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	24%	127	108	9.3
17 Jan 2000	Iowa Brown & Black Presidential Forum in Des Moines	Primary	25%	130	109	8.6
26 Jan 2000	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	21%	64	188	6.8
26 Jan 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	11%	79	282	7.4
15 Feb 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Columbia, South Carolina	Primary	15%	35	651	6.2
21 Feb 2000	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at the Apollo Theater in New York City	Primary	20%	67	300	7.4
1 Mar 2000	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Los Angeles, California	Primary	14%	84	244	8.2
2 Mar 2000	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Los Angeles, California	Primary	35%	73	206	8.1
3 Oct 2000	Presidential Debate in Boston	General election	10%	144	156	7.0
5 Oct 2000	Vice-Presidential Debate at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky	Vice-presidential	9%	208	102	8.4
11 Oct 2000	Presidential Debate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina	General election	12%	114	231	6.9
17 Oct 2000	Presidential Debate in St. Louis	General election	9%	155	168	6.7
22 Jan 2004	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	30%	116	273	7.5
29 Jan 2004	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Greenville, South Carolina	Primary	33%	132	122	7.6
30 Sep 2004	Presidential Debate in Coral Gables, Florida	General election	9%	173	146	6.7
5 Oct 2004	Vice-Presidential Debate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland	Vice-presidential	16%	169	160	7.9
8 Oct 2004	Presidential Debate in St. Louis, Missouri	General election	14%	185	165	6.0
13 Oct 2004	Presidential Debate in Tempe, Arizona	General election	12%	217	122	7.0
26 Apr 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg	Primary	21%	114	201	7.6
3 May 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the Ronald Reagan Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California	Primary	23%	67	412	6.9
15 May 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of South Carolina	Primary	23%	140	179	8.2
3 Jun 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	23%	65	497	7.8
5 Jun 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	24%	79	447	7.3
28 Jun 2007	Democratic Candidates "All-American Presidential Forum" at Howard University in Washington, DC	Primary	13%	105	208	8.6
23 Jul 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	25%	85	410	7.0
5 Aug 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at Drake University in Des Monies, Iowa	Primary	18%	87	256	6.8
7 Aug 2007	AFL-CIO Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois	Primary	27%	117	205	8.3
19 Aug 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	13%	107	209	7.2
5 Sep 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of New Hampshire in Durham	Primary	25%	121	220	7.8
9 Sep 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of Miami	Primary	21%	155	130	9.6
26 Sep 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire	Primary	21%	81	374	7.6
27 Sep 2007	Republican Candidates "All-American Presidential Forum" at Morgan State University in Baltimore	Primary	14%	139	174	7.6
9 Oct 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of Michigan in Dearborn	Primary	15%	97	362	7.5
21 Oct 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando	Primary	22%	156	140	6.6
30 Oct 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	Primary	16%	144	229	8.3
15 Nov 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas	Primary	26%	74	410	7.2
28 Nov 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida	Primary	25%	98	385	6.7
4 Dec 2007	Democratic Candidates' Radio Debate in Des Monies, Iowa	Primary	22%	95	300	8.2
9 Dec 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of Miami	Primary	17%	178	128	7.8
12 Dec 2007	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Johnston, Iowa	Primary	15%	98	260	7.8
13 Dec 2007	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Johnston, Iowa	Primary	14%	144	185	8.2
5 Jan 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	17%	122	191	7.4
5 Jan 2008	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	14%	63	317	6.4
6 Jan 2008	Republican Presidential Candidates Forum in Milford, New Hampshire	Primary	16%	114	208	7.4
10 Jan 2008	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	Primary	17%	184	145	7.7
15 Jan 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	18%	164	183	8.5
21 Jan 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	Primary	11%	102	239	7.2
24 Jan 2008	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Boca Raton, Florida	Primary	18%	148	172	7.7
30 Jan 2008	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Simi Valley, California	Primary	16%	138	199	7.6
31 Jan 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Los Angeles, California	Primary	14%	148	163	9.3
21 Feb 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at the University of Texas in Austin	Primary	17%	204	106	10.1
26 Feb 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate at Cleveland State University	Primary	17%	133	169	9.6
16 Apr 2008	Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate in Philadelphia	Primary	20%	164	154	9.5
26 Sep 2008	Presidential Debate at the University of Mississippi in Oxford	General election	7%	124	180	7.8
2 Oct 2008	Vice-Presidential Debate at Washington University in St. Louis	Vice-presidential	12%	184	152	7.9
7 Oct 2008	Presidential Debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee	General election	14%	205	132	7.9
15 Oct 2008	Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York	General election	8%	132	160	7.7
13 Jun 2011	Republican Candidates Debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	36%	97	319	7.1
11 Aug 2011	Republican Presidential Candidates Debate in Ames, Iowa	Primary	26%	123	246	6.8
5 Sep 2011	Palmetto Freedom Forum in Columbia, South Carolina	Primary	35%	135	171	7.9
7 Sep 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Simi Valley, California	Primary	24%	128	200	7.3
12 Sep 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Tampa, Florida	Primary	22%	115	226	7.4
22 Sep 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Orlando, Florida	Primary	26%	109	236	7.4
11 Oct 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Hanover, New Hampshire	Primary	20%	96	295	7.3
18 Oct 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	19%	69	346	6.1
9 Nov 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Rochester, Michigan	Primary	25%	122	236	7.1
12 Nov 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Spartanburg, South Carolina	Primary	26%	87	250	7.2
22 Nov 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Washington, DC	Primary	23%	124	241	7.5
10 Dec 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	18%	115	226	7.2
15 Dec 2011	Republican Candidates Debate in Sioux City, Iowa	Primary	23%	137	207	6.9
7 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	15%	124	212	7.0
8 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Concord, New Hampshire	Primary	25%	107	189	7.3
16 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina	Primary	21%	135	204	7.8
19 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	20%	158	179	7.0
23 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Tampa, Florida	Primary	17%	126	181	7.6
26 Jan 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Jacksonville, Florida	Primary	14%	142	213	7.7
22 Feb 2012	Republican Candidates Debate in Mesa, Arizona	Primary	16%	153	180	7.3
3 Oct 2012	Presidential Debate in Denver, Colorado	General election	13%	118	208	7.5
11 Oct 2012	Vice Presidential Debate at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky	Vice-presidential	13%	49	407	5.6
16 Oct 2012	Presidential Debate in Hempstead, New York	General election	12%	93	260	7.3
22 Oct 2012	Presidential Debate in Boca Raton, Florida	General election	14%	114	183	8.2
6 Aug 2015	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Cleveland, Ohio	Primary	23%	151	164	7.7
6 Aug 2015	Republican Candidates Debate in Cleveland, Ohio	Primary	27%	89	303	6.3
16 Sep 2015	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Simi Valley, California	Primary	19%	69	304	6.3
16 Sep 2015	Republican Candidates Debate in Simi Valley, California	Primary	17%	63	721	6.5
13 Oct 2015	Democratic Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	20%	77	431	7.8
28 Oct 2015	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Boulder, Colorado	Primary	27%	83	202	6.2
28 Oct 2015	Republican Candidates Debate in Boulder, Colorado	Primary	22%	79	432	6.2
10 Nov 2015	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Primary	18%	157	129	7.2
10 Nov 2015	Republican Candidates Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Primary	18%	102	286	6.5
14 Nov 2015	Democratic Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	20%	90	241	7.8
15 Dec 2015	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	17%	105	234	6.5
15 Dec 2015	Republican Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	16%	98	368	6.5
19 Dec 2015	Democratic Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	19%	108	296	8.1
14 Jan 2016	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in North Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	19%	221	78	7.0
14 Jan 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in North Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	16%	127	272	6.7
17 Jan 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	19%	72	292	8.0
25 Jan 2016	Democratic Candidates Forum at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	26%	107	272	6.5
28 Jan 2016	Republican Candidates "Undercard" Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	23%	166	100	6.2
28 Jan 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	25%	109	280	6.7
4 Feb 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Durham, New Hampshire	Primary	22%	111	228	7.6
6 Feb 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	21%	101	364	6.6
11 Feb 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Primary	13%	170	132	8.7
13 Feb 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Greenville, South Carolina	Primary	23%	63	352	5.5
25 Feb 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Houston, Texas	Primary	16%	58	522	5.6
3 Mar 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Detroit, Michigan	Primary	22%	49	521	5.0
6 Mar 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Flint, Michigan	Primary	24%	98	264	7.6
9 Mar 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida	Primary	24%	84	270	7.8
10 Mar 2016	Republican Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida	Primary	18%	173	209	6.4
14 Apr 2016	Democratic Candidates Debate in Brooklyn, New York	Primary	17%	60	402	6.8
26 Sep 2016	Presidential Debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York	General election	11%	71	307	5.4
4 Oct 2016	Vice Presidential Debate at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia	Vice-presidential	11%	40	498	6.8
9 Oct 2016	Presidential Debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri	General election	16%	92	290	5.9
19 Oct 2016	Presidential Debate at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas	General election	19%	64	333	5.4
26 Jun 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida: Group 1	Primary	24%	58	528	7.6
27 Jun 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida: Group 2	Primary	23%	50	566	7.9
30 Jul 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Detroit, Michigan: Group 1	Primary	16%	70	570	7.0
31 Jul 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Detroit, Michigan: Group 2	Primary	14%	89	489	7.1
12 Sep 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Houston, Texas	Primary	17%	125	327	7.2
15 Oct 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Westerville, Ohio	Primary	13%	101	518	7.5
20 Nov 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Atlanta, Georgia	Primary	14%	132	283	8.5
19 Dec 2019	Democratic Candidates Debate in Los Angeles, California	Primary	16%	99	364	7.3
14 Jan 2020	Democratic Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	14%	108	316	6.8
7 Feb 2020	Democratic Candidates Debate in Manchester, New Hampshire	Primary	17%	149	247	8.1
19 Feb 2020	Democratic Candidates Debate in Las Vegas, Nevada	Primary	17%	57	442	6.1
25 Feb 2020	Democratic Candidates Debate in Charleston, South Carolina	Primary	18%	47	549	5.9
15 Mar 2020	Democratic Candidates Debate in Washington, DC	Primary	12%	73	331	6.1
29 Sep 2020	Presidential Debate at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio	General election	25%	23	848	3.2
7 Oct 2020	Vice Presidential Debate the University of Utah in Salt Lake City	Vice-presidential	21%	78	242	8.6
22 Oct 2020	Presidential Debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee	General election	18%	70	352	5.1
23 Aug 2023	Republican Candidates Debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Primary	20%	53	488	5.8
27 Sep 2023	Republican Candidates Debate in Simi Valley, California	Primary	22%	50	430	6.0
8 Nov 2023	Republican Candidates Debate in Miami, Florida	Primary	17%	123	246	7.2
6 Dec 2023	Republican Candidates Debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama	Primary	18%	67	357	6.9
10 Jan 2024	Republican Candidates Debate in Des Moines, Iowa	Primary	15%	109	304	5.6
27 Jun 2024	Presidential Debate in Atlanta, Georgia	General election	14%	151	180	5.3
10 Sep 2024	Presidential Debate in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	General election	18%	123	227	5.4
1 Oct 2024	Vice Presidential Debate in New York City	Vice-presidential	15%	169	181	6.5

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