Roger Simon writes what I was thinking when I saw the list of “moderators” for this fall’s “debates.”
What would happen if Romney/Ryan played hardball and said, “You know, ABCBSCNNPBS? Here’s the deal. If you want us to debate on your airwaves or cablewaves, we’ll do it on condition that the candidates choose the topics. The only thing we need a moderator for is to time things. If you don’t want to do that deal, we’ll look for another network, and we’ll point out to the public exactly why we’re doing so. We’ll let the White House try to explain why it needs a biased moderator.”
When I saw that list, I was thinking “I guess there are worse choices. Like Jeremiah Wright or Janeane Garofalo.”
Seriously, if they want Big Media people, where’s FOX? Sean Hannity couldn’t make room in his schedule? Rush Limbaugh has more reach than CNN these days – why not him?
This feels like walking into a trap. Who was dumb enough to agree to this?
Rush Limbaugh doesn’t usually have guests on his radio show, but I suspect he’d make an exception for a Presidential debate. Presuming the incumbent dared show his face.
They’re vamping. Sooner or later everyone who bothers to watch traditional presidential debates on TV will have passed on, and the rest of us will be able to pass our quadrennial Octobers in peace and quiet.
In the meantime, why not go with the usual suspects, since when they’ve died off it’ll be a decent sign the viewers have too?
Why do they need a moderator? Attach their microphones to a chess clock and be done with it. If their clock runs out they can’t leave the stage. They have to stand there respectfully quiet.
Give them several ten minute rounds of five minutes apiece. Two hours should do it.
Lincoln/Douglas style.
Hell, even Nixon/Kennedy transcripts are a good read.
Who will bother reading Obama/* in 100 years? A masochist.
Might well have Mathews and Maddow as the moderators.
Naah, I think an unbiased professional, someone of unquestioned integrity, would be a good choice. How about Gwen Ifill of PBS?