Opinion: Late night comedy shows can bring moderates back to politics

On Sept. 26, 1960, Richard Nixon lost the White House in the first televised presidential debate in United States history. His pale, sickly appearance turned voters toward young John F. Kennedy, and the Nixon-Kennedy debate changed the strategies of presidential campaigns from there on out.

When Bill Clinton pulled out the saxophone on Arsenio Hall’s late night show and George W. Bush read a top 10 list for David Letterman, late night show appearances became a requirement to become president.

President Barack Obama has owned the utilization of comedic media...