Halperin: Both campaigns complaining about Crowley

[RogueBeaver]

Because she appeared to indicate a renegment on her MOU vis-a-vis format.

http://thepage.time.com/2012/10/14/moderator-role-under-scrutiny-before-the-debate/

[King]

If both sides hate it, it's probably a good thing.

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Yep, that's a good thing.

[Eraserhead]

Drudge's headline from earlier today was awesome:

CANDY: TRICK OR TREAT?

http://drudgereport.com/

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I hate these.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. We're going to pretend to let you ask questions directly of the candidates, but actually they'll be answering my own questions which I shall attempt to relate tangentially to your concerns."

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I hate these.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. We're going to pretend to let you ask questions directly of the candidates, but actually they'll be answering my own questions which I shall attempt to relate tangentially to your concerns."

[Averroës Nix]

If this spares us from hearing ignorant questions like, "How has the national debt personally affected each of your lives?", then I'm entirely in favor of more active moderation.

[sentinel]

If this spares us from hearing ignorant questions like, "How has the national debt personally affected each of your lives?", then I'm entirely in favor of more active moderation.

I agree. In addition if (for example) a candidate gets asked "What is your favorite flavor ice cream?" and the candidate response "Sprinkles are really great. Some people call them jimmies, which is cool and all, and I respect the people that do --but they're pretty good. My opponent here will tell you that peanut butter topping is the best, but what you need to know is that peanut butter topping will increase the deficit and destroy America."

...and then the moderator should go "Candidate X, you spoke about your favorite topping --but what is your favorite ice cream?"

[Likely Voter]

The rules are pretty clear in stating "The moderator will not ask follow-up questions or comment on either the questions asked by the audience or the answers of the candidates during the debate or otherwise intervene in the debate except to acknowledge the questioners from the audience or enforce the time limits, and invite candidate comments during the two-minute response period"

All politicians fear follow-up questions. They memorize standard answers for every possible question but those often dont stand up to scrutiny. Romney's tax plan and Obama's Bengazi answers are obvious opportunities for hard hitting follow-ups which neither wants to have to get into.