2008 United States presidential debates

2008 United States presidential debates

← 2004 September 26, 2008 October 7, 2008 October 15, 2008 2012 →

Nominee John McCain Barack Obama Party Republican Democratic Home state Arizona Illinois

2008 United States vice presidential debate

October 2, 2008

Nominee Sarah Palin Joe Biden Party Republican Democratic Home state Alaska Delaware

2008 U.S. presidential election
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Democratic Party
Candidates Debates and forums Primaries National polling Statewide polling Results Nominee Convention superdelegates
Republican Party
Candidates Debates and forums Primaries National polling Statewide polling Results Nominee Convention
Minor parties
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The 2008 United States presidential debates were a series of debates held during the 2008 presidential election.

The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), a bipartisan organization formed in 1987, organized four debates among the major party candidates, sponsored three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. Only Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic nominee Barack Obama met the criteria for inclusion in the debates, and thus were the only two to appear in the debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates. The CPD-sponsored vice presidential debate took place between their respective vice presidential running mates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden.

Both McCain and Obama did not agree to additional debates; however, each was interviewed at the Civil Forum on the Presidency, held on August 16, 2008, and at the Service Nation Presidential Forum on September 11, 2008. Both Palin and Biden also did not participate in any additional debates.