In 1980, President Jimmy Carter made the tactical decision to skip the first presidential debate because he objected to the inclusion of independent candidate John Anderson. The debate went forward between Anderson and Ronald Reagan on Sept. 21, 1980, but Americans disapproved of Carter’s decision. In a Gallup poll conducted shortly before the debate, 61% of registered voters said Carter should not boycott the debate, while just 25% said he should. – READ MORE
