Debates Finalized

[Bradley in DC]

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/08/21/debates_finalized.html

Debates Finalized
The Obama and McCain campaigns released a joint statement today noting their agreement on three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate. All four debates will begin at 9pm ET, and last for 90 minutes.

First Presidential Debate -- September 26 at the University of Mississippi
Topic: Foreign Policy & National Security
Moderator: Jim Lehrer
Staging: Podium debate
Answer Format: The debate will be broken into nine, 9-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic and allow each candidate 2 minutes to comment. After these initial answers, the moderator will facilitate an open discussion of the topic for the remaining 5 minutes, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment

Vice Presidential Debate -- October 2 at Washington University (St. Louis)
Moderator: Gwen Ifill
Staging/Answer Format: To be resolved after both parties' Vice Presidential nominees are selected.

Second Presidential Debate -- October 7 at Belmont University
Moderator: Tom Brokaw
Staging: Town Hall debate
Format: The moderator will call on members of the audience (and draw questions from the internet). Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to each question. Following those initial answers, the moderator will invite the candidates to respond to the previous answers, for a total of 1 minute, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment. In the spirit of the Town Hall, all questions will come from the audience (or internet), and not the moderator.

Third Presidential Debate -- October 15 at Hofstra University
Topic: Domestic and Economic policy
Moderator: Bob Schieffer
Staging: Candidates will be seated at a table
Answer Format: Same as First Presidential Debate
Closing Statements: At the end of this debate (only) each candidate shall have the opportunity for a 90 second closing statement.

[Lucille]

Joint Statement On Presidential Debates (http://time-blog.com/real_clear_politics/2008/08/joint_statement_on_presidential_debates.html)


Both campaigns also agreed to accept the CPD's participation rules for third-party candidate participation.

Mmm hm. I'm sure they do, considering the Catch-22 shenanigans by the "nonpartisan (http://www.debates.org/pages/lead.html)" CPD pretty much guarantees a third party shutout.

[Drknows]

I cant believe Mccain Agreed to let Jim Lehrer, Tom Brokaw and Bob Schieffer moderate the debates. Haha.

so we get a total of 3 PBS style debates how exciting. Obama will not even break a sweat with all the softball questions he will receive,.

I guess Mccain will have to milk the "I'm more patriotic than you" line for all its worth.


This is how i see the debates playing out.

1st debate will probably be a tie but it's a Podium debate and the topic is Foreign Policy & National Security. So Mccain could easily win it with some patriotic fear mongering.

2nd debate Obama wins because its Tom Brokaw/Town Hall with internet questions.

3rd debate is a tough one to call i can see Mccain winning because he goes full retard when he thinks he's losing. Plus its a sit down Remember him and Mitt going at it? But its also Economic policy. so could go either way. Mccain really screws up on these topics.

Oh and Obama will probably get into a heated debate with him at some point and he will lose badly. Mccain will be trying to pick a fight with him every chance he gets if Obama falls for it and starts stuttering like porky the pig...... Th-th-th-that's all folks.


its over

[Standing Like A Rock]

i would like to throw RP up in the debates just to watch him own them just for giggles...

[noxagol]

They aren't even officially nominated yet...

[Matt Collins]

Interesting how all 3 of these locations are east of the Mississippi. What, the West doesn't get to have any debates?