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And welcome to FOX News Sunday panel plus with Brit Hume Mara Liasson -- -- Rosalind Kirsten Powers and during the break.
We were all talking about debate moments and and let me tell you one I heard from somebody who was on the Reagan team in 1984.
The first Reagan Mondale debate was a disaster for Ronald Reagan he ended up and is closing statement kind of wandering around.
The Pacific Coast Highway it really was quite -- and quite shocking to people.
The thought it was a great communicators in this -- was telling me that he and and Jim Baker that president chief of staff and a lot of other.
Top aides they were in the in the basement underneath the stage in the air and the debate arena.
And they're watching it on TV it's a disaster for Reagan.
And it ends and Jim Baker the White House chief of staff -- the TV often turns to the rest of it -- now let's get out there aren't element Reagan won.
And he's that we were the first banners that you know that week it was like -- doesn't matter forget the truth -- your lying eyes sad.
Now you were covering the 84 campaign I was governor right and you -- -- Monday.
I was and then there was perfectly clear to everybody that -- -- won that debate in the and -- no -- has -- was gonna -- that he changed.
If you look at me it was such an obvious -- was -- little Kentucky's you noted.
He chains -- have his campaign plane did Mondale to Louisville slugger.
And he had a Louisville slugger baseball -- a little waiver hunt for awhile after that he clearly won the debate of course.
You know that that the conditions in the country -- so agreeable and Ronald Reagan was so popular but.
I think there's the country was such that I go away I just have 10 win.
One other anecdote because this -- Reagan's performance raise the issue had the old man lawsuit 73 year result was -- over the health.
Now in the four years that we've been covering the Reagan White House the first term Daniel ruby who was his doctor had never.
-- anywhere that anybody could talk to him for some reason.
He walked out onto the South Lawn the day after the debate and -- -- let our cameras -- what is that well Izzy -- has he lost -- busy drooling -- is wrong with them and -- -- answer but it was not a good answer it was not that he's -- is a federal.
And we all cluttered on the -- bars and you know because we are buying up the question at Reagan lost that.
And had that the regular camp was -- -- this day of all days Daniel -- decided he was gonna make an affair.
Rumored to -- killed.
That of ABC news had a very -- way of describing with the -- becoming so that people wondering if Reagan was -- -- okay.
Tomorrow the debate moment.
Like -- debate moments I mean.
The debate moments I covered the Clinton White House and obviously the debate moments -- -- amazing you know just a little teeny thing like George H.
W.
Bush looking at his watch.
And the thing is little things and gloom extremely large and debates what did Obama do badly then explain and company looked down.
You know he didn't smile -- -- look at Mitt Romney.
And he didn't have any energy does things matter a lot and the thing about this race -- so.
Interesting and significant -- how polarized it's been house stuck in concrete how it just doesn't move very much.
But and there are so few undecideds but little things mean a lot because a little swing matters a lot in a race this close and look what's happened in the polls since this debate and my husband has his way to go anywhere between three and five points for Romney.
In that the debate co -- we talked to Brett O'Donnell says 65%.
Of what people take.
For the debate is appearances and mean it and what not your parents or just your feeling.
They hereafter as we had a rise along with Nixon and Kennedy -- here and -- radio how you think -- -- -- -- young people remember that I I I've seen replenish its.
That's where there that day is in the debate -- -- are the American -- hearing over and over again Romney won -- -- round.
You know -- -- they think about that debate is it was maybe on NBC it was and it in in.
-- but I was a CBS family growing -- not surprisingly and we were they were broadcasting it in black and white.
And the thing is that I remember that debate as how.
Bonds.
Jack Kennedy look how rested and tan and fit and it was a black and white but that's sort of what's your image and -- came -- even even there you're -- debate moment that you.
We'll also have we ever had a debate especially one in which somebody won decisively -- we -- have a big fight afterward about the moderator and whether or not moderator did a good job I know you've had some issues about him and I thought he did a fabulous performance.
I thought he did just what he was supposed to do stand in their sit back let them go at it.
I think and I think that the what Obama in this debate came office seeming week.
In body language in a way that Ronnie came off as being strong and body language and I think that those are things that make a big difference that may even reinforce an idea that somebody -- about somebody like when Dukakis was asked the question.
What would you do if your wife was raped and responded in this very kind of yes sorry yeah yeah I don't know I'm not a passionate you know -- -- just sort of reinforces idea of this person just does not and you remember what you.
All the other candidate don't debate standards that in reaction to them to bring shows question moved to do from wherever.
Dukakis as you -- -- -- -- or lessons from flu philosophically Mr.
Bush said.
HW bush -- Ernie.
As if to say what a terrible question in -- it and it and it was sort of characteristic of the did general kindness of the man.
I don't think you saw him I think you heard his voice that was unmistakable it was very clear.
-- -- nice coming there were hurt I rabbits right and I have to say I was covering the Dukakis campaign and we all just.
Smacked.
There was a back story because he had three women on his debate panel what -- are -- -- was only allowed to -- the opening question and then they were gonna ask all the others.
And he told them that he was gonna ask that question and they were you can't do that you can't.
And it was great question because it was a revealing question and Dukakis.
Slot Clinton big time.
Well folks if anybody else anything else I guess that's that's.
Think that'll let us know your debate -- second with us throughout the week -- -- my Monday edition of Wallace -- you can find it right here.
At FOX News Sunday dot com watch the vice presidential debate.
We'll see you back here next.
