Ronald Bailey on Whether Presidential Debates Are Always a Waste of Time

As of last night, there have been 30 televised presidential campaign debates in U.S. history. Numerous political scientists have tried over the decades to discern what, if any, effects the debates have had on voters. How do voters judge debate participants? Is it by competence? Knowledge? Partisanship? Demeanor and appearance? Reason Science Correspondent Ronald Bailey delves into the academic literature in search of insights.