Reply #23: Ford-Carter.

[Drunken Irishman]

Carter built a gigantic 30-point lead on Ford during the early part of the 1976 presidential election and looked like he would coast to the presidency. However, the race began to tighten up, as Ford manufactured the White House Press Corps to make him appear more presidential than Carter. This worked, especially with his leading the Bicentennial in July of '76. Soon, Carter's lead had all but evaporated and by the time the debates rolled around, the race was a toss-up in its truest forms, with all the momentum on Ford's side.

Ford did well in the first debate and continued rising in the polls, but his momentum was halted in the 2nd debate when he clumsily refused to say the Soviet Union did not have a dominant hold on Eastern Europe. It was a stupid move and ultimately stopped his momentum right in its tracks. That offered Carter just enough to win the presidency...by two points and only a handful of electoral votes.

Had Ford not blundered that debate, he probably would have won the election.