The first televised presidential debate took place in Chicago in 1960 between Republican candidate Richard M. Nixon and Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy. Today, the American public has come to expect presidential candidates to participate in televised debates and show voters who they are. 

The moderator plays a significant role in presidential debates, and this is a position that Jim Lehrer, executive editor and anchor of PBS NewsHour, has held numerous times, giving him a firsthand understanding of the importance of the moderator's role in the election process. 

This week Lehrer stopped by OPB to discuss his latest book, Tension City: Inside the Presidential Debates, from Kennedy-Nixon to Obama-McCain, and to talk about what it's like to be a veteran of the "middle seat."

According to Lehrer, "The dynamite that you're holding in your hand.... is the possibility that as the moderator, you can say something or do something that could affect the outcome of the debate and thus, the outcome of an election."

To learn more, watch our video interview with Ifanyi Bell (above) and listen to Jim Lehrer's conversation with David Miller on Think Out Loud.

PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 pm & 12 am on OPB and weeknights at 4pm & 11 pm on PLUS.