Gotta Watch: Funniest debate moments
What comical moments will tonight’s GOP debate bring?
June 13th, 2011
10:11 AM ET

Gotta Watch: Funniest debate moments

We're just hours away from CNN's first presidential debate of the 2012 political season. As we wait to see who breaks out, who chokes and who's overshadowed, take a look at some of the most witty debate moments of all time. Watch "The Great Communicator's" quick quips and John McCain joke about his torturous past.

Watch politics heat up at the New Hampshire GOP presidential debate, as hopefuls battle it out on issues that could affect the course of the 2012 campaign.  It all happens tonight at 8 pm ET on CNN, CNN.com Live and our mobile apps.

Age before inexperience – Critics hammered Ronald Reagan about his age during his presidential runs. So, he must have known the question would come up during a debate and he was ready. Don't let his age fool you; the GOP nominee was ready to tackle challengers of all ages.
[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2011/06/09/vault.debate.reagan.mondale.cnn"%5D

Who is this guy, anyway? – The 1992 election season was full of unscripted, funny and colorful moments. One of the most laughable came from third-party vice presidential candidate Adm. James Stockdale. In his introduction, he posed existential questions to which even he didn't seem to know the answer.
[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2011/06/09/vault.debate.stockdale.who.cnn"%5D

All tied up – Two things are synonymous with Sen. John McCain: his maverick style and his POW history. He used both to his advantage during a 2007 debate where he ripped Democrat Hillary Clinton for supporting spending on a museum commemorating Woodstock. He was pretty sure it was an awesome concert, but couldn't attend because he was tied up at the time.
[cnn-video url="http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2011/06/09/vault.debate.mccain.tied.up.fox"%5D

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Filed under: Elections • Gotta Watch • Politics • Republican Party
soundoff (18 Responses)
  1. countryboy

    Debate debate debate http://WWW.CDBABY.COM/ALL/NUMONE bye now!

    June 13, 2011 at 12:56 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Jazzzzzzzz

    People let's remember that with age comes wisdom.

    June 13, 2011 at 1:45 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jazzzzzzzz

      🙂 that's very true but ...that wasn't my post. good one Troll. your probably having an off day. huh?

      June 13, 2011 at 2:37 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Smith

    Can you please have a Republican answer these few questions? 1. In 2008 do you think the country was experiencing a recession, with concerns of heading into a depression? If no, why? 2. If you were elected president in 2008, would you have listend to your top economist and stop the 700,000 a month job lost that was in occurance, or not listen to them, and let things play out, and why? 3. How much of the occured debt for this administration is due to resession recovery and necessary regulations? How much of the disagreement in the healthcare debate about..."how to pay for pre-conditioned illnesses for the majority of Americans" 4. Was the majority of jobs lost during the last administration, as well as, jobs that were not created, results of tax-breaks for the wealthy? Our country is honored to have a president such as Barak Obama to lead this amazing journey for four more years. Thanks CNN

    June 13, 2011 at 1:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • deBuggy

      Can you please have a democrat answer these questions: 1. If you are elected president in 2012, what would you do do reverse the damage that the Obama administration and democrat controlled congress inflicted on the US economy? 2. We have seen and are seeing joblessness grow rampant in the US since the democrats took over congress and POTUS, how has the bloated "stimulus" package helped to stem the tide of job losses? (please use valid citations – saved jobs cannot be proved, so please stick to real, provable facts) 3. What role does the Federal Education department actually have? Why should we continue to fund it when all it does is add cost to education and no increase in our world stature as an educated nation?

      July 10, 2011 at 11:57 am | Report abuse |
  4. fernace

    Are politicians comedians, now? I don't really care about the silly things they say, I want to hear what they are going to do about the deficit, unemployment, & keeping tax paid assistance programs viable! Are they going to get us out of the 2 $ draining wars anytime soon, are they going to continue the very unfair tax-free or subsidies programs for "The Bigs"?? We are in a dire situation & politicians are on their soap boxes about it, but their only solutions are to take MORE from those who have less than ever! That's so twisted & backwards, like cutting funding for Education! A harebrained scheme like none other!! Bring us the serious stuff now, we can laugh later when we're more stable!

    June 13, 2011 at 2:16 pm | Report abuse |
    • deBuggy

      Actually, we are in 3 wars (you neglected to include Libya where our forces are in harm's way as well)

      July 10, 2011 at 11:59 am | Report abuse |
  5. Jack

    Wait till tonight's show should be a good laugh

    June 13, 2011 at 2:28 pm | Report abuse |
  6. banasy

    I'm in complete agreement with fernace.
    If I want comedy, I'll watch Comedy Central.
    I want competence, not comedy, thank you.

    June 13, 2011 at 3:19 pm | Report abuse |
  7. Jazzzzzzzz

    Very cleaver troll. The 2 above posts aren't mine folks. The 2nd one seems real. Great fake job. I bet its the same troll. I got energy.

    June 13, 2011 at 3:39 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Riff*Raff

    @Fernace-absolutely agree 100%. Having a personality is good, but I want brains and solutions in my President aka Leader of the Free World. Between this group of contestants, I haven't heard a viable or even sensible solution yet. About anything. I wonder how many bumper stickers will come from this evening's debate. Better yet, how many will actually answer a question directly and not repeat their own rhetoric?

    June 13, 2011 at 8:17 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Joe Moore

    We need to make Obama a one term President.

    June 13, 2011 at 8:42 pm | Report abuse |
  10. noel .C

    Let the DEVIL worshiping begin!!!. WE DONT NEED THE( EVIL EMPIRE) REbuckians at the white house. All these suckers And 1 token brother BETTER be ready for the fight.

    June 13, 2011 at 10:29 pm | Report abuse |
    • deBuggy

      I can see your point, the Obama administration (and democrat controlled congress) have done soooo much to bring us to a point where inflation is not a problem, unemployment is low, our deficit is under control, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

      July 10, 2011 at 12:03 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Mad View

    Another yawning moment.

    June 14, 2011 at 12:30 am | Report abuse |
  12. MGF

    Joe Moore says that you should make Obama a one-term President. It's too bad you didn't make Bush a six-month contract President with no renewable option.

    June 14, 2011 at 12:17 pm | Report abuse |
    • deBuggy

      and it's too bad that you democrats decided to elect a president with no experience at anything even closely resembling the needs of a president and who ran our economy into the ground and made us a laughing stock around the world (bows)

      July 10, 2011 at 12:05 pm | Report abuse |
  13. PKERN

    i JUST HEARD THAT a LARGE PART OF THE POPULATION DOES NOT WANT to increase the debt limit. These people should just stand on the the ocean front and watch the tsunami come in. It could bring in a depression. There is not a person in this country who would not be negatively affected by this. You think it's bad now, don't do anything and wait.

    July 13, 2011 at 5:25 pm | Report abuse |
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