As Barack Obama and Mitt Romney prepare to do battle, a look at some of the best moments televised debates have given us

Richard Nixon sweats, looks shifty

The first televised presidential debate took place in 1960, between the handsome, charismatic John F Kennedy, and the less handsome, less charismatic Richard Nixon. Kennedy looked calm and collected, Nixon had a sweaty face and a five o'clock shadow. Those watching on television reckoned JFK won the debate. He won the election too.

Gerald Ford: don't worry about the Soviet Union

"There is no Soviet Union domination of eastern Europe," Ford asserted in his 1976 debate with Jimmy Carter. This was news to people watching, as well as to most of the people in eastern Europe. Probably the best thing about this clip is the double-take of debate moderator Max Frankel, from the New York Times. Ford lost the election.

Ronald Reagan exploits age for political purposes

Reagan was old in 1984. The oldest president in history. Rumours were circulating in some quarters that age was having an impact on his performance, prompting a question in the debate with Walter Mondale about whether Reagan could cope with the stress of the presidency. Reagan responded with one of his best remembered lines, saying he would not "exploit for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience". Mondale, at 56 years old, was hardly a spring chicken, but the line got laughs, and Reagan was re-elected.

Michael Dukakis on the death penalty

Dukakis, an opponent of the death penalty, was asked during the 1988 debate with George Bush Sr whether he would change his mind if his wife, Kitty, was raped and murdered. Surely time to go on the offensive, berate the question, the questioner, etc. Instead, Dukakis responded: "No, I don't, and I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life". As Politico's Roger Simon wrote in 2007: "Another candidate might have survived that first question and answer. But not Dukakis. It devastated him because his coldness was already an issue."

Senator Dan Quayle is no JFK

Not a presidential debate, but a vice-presidential one. It's 1988, and Quayle, running for VP alongside George Bush Sr, has developed a habit of comparing himself to John F Kennedy. Senator Lloyd Bentsen soon slapped him down with a withering: "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." After the applause died down, Quayle looked hurt, and said the comment was "uncalled for". He and Bush won the election anyway.

George Bush Sr dares to check watch

Fielding questions from Concerned Voters is probably really boring. But you aren't supposed to make it look like that. As a question came in during Bush's 1992 debate with Bill Clinton, the president ostentatiously looked at his watch while Clinton listened intently to the audience member. Bush later revealed what was on his mind as he checked his timepiece: "Only 10 more minutes of this crap." Bush lost.

Al Gore tries to intimidate George W Bush

Debating ahead of the 2000 election, Bush rises from his chair and strolls forward as he talks about the difference between him and Al Gore is that he can "get things done". As he's speaking Gore gets to his feet and swaggers towards his rival, as if spoiling for a fight. Bush dismisses him with a curt nod, Gore looks daft. There were rumours the Democrat had been receiving 'Alpha male' training prior to the debates in a bid to toughen up his image. He went a bit too far.