Do debates actually have an impact on presidential elections?

President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden are squaring off for the first presidential debate in Cleveland.

But do debates make a difference when it comes to the actual result?

DEBATES..?

BUT DODEBATES ACTUALLYMAKE A DIFFERENCEWHEN IT COMESELECTION RESULTS?OUR JOE ST.GEORGE TONIGHTWITH A CLOSERLOOK.DEBATE NIGHT INAMERICA A FORMERVICE PRESIDENTMEETS A SITTINGPRESIDENT FACE TOFACE.

WHICH MAYHAVE YOUWONDERING?

DOPRESIDENTIALDEBATES MAKE ADIFFERENCE IN WHOWINS?THE CANDIDATESNEED NOINTRODUCTION THEFIRST TELEVISEDDEBATE WAS IN 1960AND IMMEDIATELYTHERE WASCONTROVERSY.HISTORIANS HAVESAID RICHARDNIXON'S SWEATINGAND REFUSAL TOWEAR MAKEUP MADEHIM LOOK ILLCOMPARED TO THEYOUNG SENATORFROMMASSACHUSETTSJOHN F KENNEDY.

THENEXT PRESIDENTIALDEBATE WOULDN'THAPPEN UNTIL 1976.THERE IS NO SOVIETDOMINATION OFEASTERN EUROPE.WHERE SITTINGPRESIDENT GERALDFORD MADE THEFIRST GAFFE IN ATELEVISION DEBATE.AT THE TIME, ALLEASTERN EUROPEANCOUNTRIES WERECOUNTRIES UNDERTHE SOVIET UNION;SINFLUENCE.AS JOE BIDEN ANDDONALD TRUMPPREPARE TO TAKETHE STAGE,HISTORICALLY THEREIS EVIDENCE THATJOKES HAVE PLAYEDWELL OVER THEYEARS.YOU ARE ALREADYTHE OLDESTPRESIDENT INHISTORY IN 1984PRESIDENT RONALDREAGAN FACEDCRITICISM OVER HISAGE.

SOUNDFAMILIAR?I AM NOT GOING TOEXPLOIT FORPOLITICAL GAIN MYOPPONENTS YOUTHAND INEXPERIENCEBUT CAN DEBATESCHANGE ANELECTION?WELL IN THE LAST 9PRESIDENTIALELECTIONS, THECANDIDATE LEADINGIN THE POLLS BEFORETHE FIRST DEBATEWENT ON TO WINEVERY TIME EXCEPTIN 2000 AND 2016WHEN GEORGE W.BUSH AND DONALDTRUMP WON THEPRESIDENCY.THAT FACT HAS LEADTO MORE ARTICLESLIKE THIS IN RECENTYEARS WITH TITLES."DEBATES DON'TMATTER THE WAYPEOPLE THINK" BUTSTILL IN A CLOSEELECTION.

EVERYVOTE AND EVENTMATTERS.THE FIRSTPRESIDENTIALDEBATE FOUR YEARSAGO WAS WATCHEDBY 84 MILLIONAMERICAS.IN WASHINGTON I'MJOE ST.

GEORGE.YOU CAN SEE THATDEBATE TONIGHT..RIGHT HERE ON N-B-C26, WITHLESTER HOLT ANDTHE N-B-C NEWSTEAM.IT ALL GETSSTARTED AT EIGHT.NEW WILDFIRES ARERAGING OUT OFCONTROL IN