Watch Famous Debate Stunts That Worked -- And Flopped

MSNBC's Chris Matthews rattled off the do's and don'ts of presidential debates on Hardball this Wednesday. Chief among them: candidates' stunts and one-liners can flop, but they can also work spectacularly.

"A witty remark is often the only thing the audience ever remembers after the dust settles," Matthews said in the segment, which can be viewed above.

Think of Walter Mondale quoting the popular Wendy's slogan, "Where's the beef?" or Ronald Reagan joking about his age or saying, "I am paying for this microphone" when the moderator tried to cut him off. On the flip side, remember Al Gore walking up to intimidate George W. Bush -- who nodded in acknowledgment, setting off a wave of laughter from the audience?

Yet while candidates can prepare their quips in advance, that doesn't mean they'll be able to respond wittily to an off-the-cuff remark, said political science professor Jason Johnson, who joined Matthews in a panel discussion.

"You have to be witty in order to respond to some of these one-liners," Johnson said. "I don't think anybody has [that ability] except for Trump."