Bush, Kerry to have two moderated debates, one town-hall meeting

[Cocoa]

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aomibdlRrdRY&refer=us

<snip>

In first debate, September 30 in Coral Gables, Florida, the candidates are to sit at a table with a moderator and the questions will focus on domestic issues. The format will be the same in the third debate on Oct. 13 in Tempe, Arizona, where the main issue will be foreign policy.

In an Oct. 8 meeting at Washington University in St. Louis, undecided voters picked by the Gallup Organization will be able to ask questions on any topic. The 90-minute debates will start at 9 p.m. New York time.

``The commission's recommendations have basically formed the blueprint for how the debates have gone the last several cycles,'' said Janet Brown, the commission's executive director. ``We think this is a pretty good set of proposals.''

Campaign officials for Kerry, 60, a four-term Massachusetts senator, and Bush, 57, didn't immediately return phone calls seeking comment.

more...

[bluestateguy]

1. The campaigns have to accept the debate proposal first

I expect the Bush team will counter-offer and try to run out the clock.

[Cocoa]

2. yes, Bush will try hard to game the format

the question is, what format favors the Worst President Ever?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Not the town hall meeting

shrub will want to know the questions beforehand so that the dickster can tell him the answers.

[MallRat]

8. No Lincoln-Douglas. Scripted town meeting.

And of course, lower the expectations into the cellar so that Bush "wins" the debate by successfully stringing together a subject and a predicate.

THOSE are formats which favor the Worst. President. EVER.

-MR

[Leilani]

4. I would like to see a REAL debate

with the candidates able to question each other, & have real rebuttals.

Of course, that will not happen.

[Spinzonner]

5. You're right

It's essential that the formats include the opportunity for followups to Bush's answers so he cant get away with spin and lies and is pinned down when he tries to generalize or change the subject.

If it's just another press conference, the job wont get done.

Instead of having all so-called independent journalists, they should include avowed critics of either side who will challenge the answers, subject to moderator keeping it from being polemic.

What with the availability of the internet, there should also be an opportunity for challenging answers within the debate.

[Bombtrack]

6. I'll be at the first debate

I can't wait

[dusty64]

7. Voters picked by gallup,

why does that NOT make me feel very positive.