Presidents often struggle in first debates

When President Obama steps onto the debate stage Wednesday night in Denver, he'll seek to avoid what might be called "incumbents opening debate syndrome."

Presidents seeking re-election have often struggled in their first debates: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Two of those wound up winning re-election anyway; two lost.

In one sense, the odds are against a sitting president in a debate. Challengers automatically gain stature by simply being on the same stage as the incumbent.

Presidents have a specific record to defend in debates, and Republican candidate Mitt Romney will no doubt point at many negative economic statistics during his confrontation with Obama.

As Obama spends today practicing in Henderson, Nev., here's a look at past presidents in their opening debates:

Jimmy Carter in 1980 — Many historians attribute Ronald Reagan's victory to success in his first and only debate with incumbent Carter on Oct. 28, 1980, in Cleveland.

Reagan fired off two of the most memorable lines in debate history, one of which Romney has used in this election: "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"

When Carter attacked Reagan over Social Security and Medicare, Reagan said, "There you go again."

Don't be surprised if Romney pulls out that one Wednesday night in Denver, as well.

Carter endured ridicule after talking about how he discussed one crucial issue — nuclear weapons — with daughter Amy.

He had one problem Obama won't have to worry about — only one debate against his challenger, with no chance for a comeback.

Ronald Reagan in 1984 — Reagan himself suffered incumbents opening debate syndrome with a confused and meandering performance against Democratic challenger Walter Mondale on Oct. 7, 1984, in Louisville.

Even worse, critics began to question whether the 73-year-old Reagan was too old for a second term.

Unlike Carter — and like Obama — Reagan had a second chance at a second debate in 1984, on Oct. 21 in Kansas City, Mo. He responded with yet another famous line: "I want you to know that also I will not make age an issue of this campaign — I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."

Buoyed by signs of economic recovery, Reagan won in a landslide.

George H.W. Bush in 1992 — The first President Bush had problems in all three of his debates, in part because he had two challengers: Democrat Bill Clinton and independent Ross Perot.

If anything, Perot was more critical of Bush than Clinton.

Dragged down by a recession, the senior Bush lost to Clinton.

(Clinton, by the way, proved to be an exception to incumbent debate syndrome. In 1996, he never seemed in danger of losing to Republican challenger Bob Dole, and the debates did not change that perception.)

George W. Bush in 2004 — The younger Bush also struggled in his first debate -- Sept. 30, 2004, at the University of Miami -- losing to John Kerry. He was also criticized for complaining about how hard the job of president is.

An apparent bulge on the back of Bush's suit jacket led to one of the most ridiculous conspiracy theories in the history of American politics: that the president was wearing a transmitter and receiving answers from Karl Rove (or somebody).

Yet Obama's immediate predecessor recovered in the last two debates and won re-election.