Thread: Presidential (and VP) Debates 2012

now that the conventions are over, the only thing that can significantly move the polls (short of an october surprise, huge gaffe, security threat or economic collapse) are the debates. there will be three debates between the president and romney during the first three weeks of october, and the VP debate will take place between the first and second presidential debates. word is that romney is already engaged in debate prep with rob portman standing in for the president--portman also did the stand in for the mccain campaign in 2008.

here's the schedule:

First presidential debate: October 3

Topic: Domestic policy
Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: University of Denver in Denver, Colorado
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Participants: President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
Moderator: Jim Lehrer (Host of NewsHour on PBS)

The debate will focus on domestic policy and be divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes each on topics to be selected by the moderator and announced several weeks before the debate.
The moderator will open each segment with a question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

Vice presidential debate: October 11


Topic: Foreign and domestic policy
Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Centre College in Danville, Kentucky
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Participants: Vice President Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan
Moderator: Martha Raddatz (ABC News Chief Foreign Correspondent) The debate will cover both foreign and domestic topics and be divided into nine time segments of approximately 10 minutes each. The moderator will ask an opening question, after which each candidate will have two minutes to respond. The moderator will use the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the question.

Second presidential debate: October 16


Topic: Town meeting format including foreign and domestic policy
Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Participants: President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
Moderator: Candy Crowley (CNN Chief Political Correspondent)
The second presidential debate will take the form of a town meeting, in which citizens will ask questions of the candidates on foreign and domestic issues. Candidates each will have two minutes to respond, and an additional minute for the moderator to facilitate a discussion. The town meeting participants will be undecided voters selected by the Gallup Organization.

Third presidential debate: October 22


Topic: Foreign policy
Air Time: 9:00-10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida
Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates
Participants: President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
Moderator: Bob Schieffer (Host of Face the Nation on CBS)
The format for the debate will be identical to the first presidential debate and will focus on foreign policy.

as a challenger romney has a lot at risk in these debates. fair or unfair, any misstatement is going to make him seem unqualified, and he's also going to have to answer for his 'evovling' positions on many issues.

the president has the advantage of actually holding the office he's seeking again. misstatements are more likely to be overlooked as minor mistakes. he's often charged with coming across as too professorial, so my guess is that his debate prep team are trying to get him to engage in a style similar to bill clinton--knowledgeable yet avoiding complexity---there's a reason the USA Today is written at a 10th grade reading level.

While we're sure that Romney will make Obama look more of a fool than he already appears it's the VP Debate that will make history. Ryan vs Mad Joe? You gotta be kidding?

In the blue trunks, President Barack Obama, armed with a killer left cross and an arsenal of fact-jabs that were so well outlined by Clinton, Biden and Obama at the Democratic Convention.

In the Red trunks, Twitt Romney, whose repeated gaffes, insults to foreign leaders and and vapid rhetoric and personality, seems able only to fight his way out of wet paper bags by flip-flopping it to shreds.

I can't wait to watch Obama pick Romney's bones at the end of each debate. Little Paulie doesn't stand a chance. That junior league intellect hasn't fought a heavy weight like Joe B. It's going to be fun to watch.

Romney must be shaking in his boots. I bet he wears brown pants.

I'm sure Mitt will not allow his speech to be dictated by Factcheckers.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

While we're sure that Romney will make Obama look more of a fool than he already appears it's the VP Debate that will make history. Ryan vs Mad Joe? You gotta be kidding?

Pre-game rooting, eh?

I will watch da debates.

And Biden is seasoned and careful in debated, as I'm sure Ryan will be.

I am sure Obama will prepare a lot, like Romney.

They are both politicians.

Good luck to both supporters.

Round #1.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

BM could not feel more opposite. Obama and Biden will wipe the floor with Romney and Ryan.

good video, AO.

IMO it raises quite effectively what is romney's achille's heel---that's he's been on (at least) both sides of every important issue over the years. i would think that obama has the intention to go after that at every possible opportunity during the debates.


here's are two interesting points that i'm sure the obama campaign is considering:

Incumbents usually are at a disadvantage, defending a record against a challenger critiquing four years of work. Obama will be trying to avoid the fate of Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who turned in flat debate performances in their first encounters with rivals. In the end, though, it didn't hurt either one as they both won re-election.


"Debating is a muscle that doesn't get used very often," said Alan Schroeder, a journalism professor at Northeastern University and the author of "Presidential Debates: Forty Years of High-Risk TV." ''Mitt Romney is better toned because he came off 20-plus primary debates. President Obama has not been on a debate stage in four years."

Fall's must-see political TV: Obama-Romney debates - Yahoo! News

Thanks, AO.

Some bias as usual, but I agree with it.