Despite this record of futility, interest in political debates has remained high in recent years because of the penultimate nature of the spectacle and innovative formats. One of the most heralded changes has been to model presidential after a New England town meeting. The first of these so-called town hall debates brtween presidential candidates occurred in 1992, when President George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot used a format that allowed citizens to question the candidates directly. The result was a lively debate, and given the success of the format, it is not surprising that 4 years later one of the two debates between Prisident Clinton and Bob Dole used the town hall format.