Poll Position: Do we need moderators in presidential debates?
Through three debates — two between the presidential candidates, one featuring their running mates — there’s been one constant: The moderators have been part of the story each time. PBS’ Jim Lehrer was faulted by some for being too hands-off; ABC’s Martha Raddatz for being too quick to interrupt; CNN’s Candy Crowley for playing fact-checker during one particularly heated exchange between President Obama and Mitt Romney.
Do we need moderators for presidential debates?
- Absolutely (131 Votes)
- Never (53 Votes)
- Only in some of them (46 Votes)
Total Voters: 230
Loading ...(As an aside, as someone who’s moderated several debates myself, Crowley was wrong to intervene in that manner for two reasons, neither of them partisan: First, it wasn’t her place to offer an opinion; if she was trying to cut off the debate and move on to another topic, she should have simply said, “This one will have to go to the fact-checkers.” Second, fact-checking isn’t part of the moderator’s job largely because the moderator has too much else going on to be counted on to be a reliable fact-checker, from keeping track of speaking time to paying attention to which question comes next and even whose turn it is to give the first answer to that question. Crowley was, we can only assume, going off memory about what Obama said at a press briefing almost five weeks earlier, and with more than 60 million people watching. She was just as likely to make a mistake or misspeak as the candidates were.)
Rather than arguing about which moderator did the best job, or which style is best, my question to you today is: Do we even need moderators for these debates?
Throughout the primary season, Newt Gingrich famously challenged anyone and everyone to “Lincoln-Douglas style debates” without moderators. How much would you like to see Obama and Romney taking turns asking each other questions rather than relying on journalists and “undecided” voters bound to be accused of being partisan? (One thing I thought was clear from Tuesday night’s debate was that none of the questioners sounded all that “undecided” — their questions were aimed at one candidate or the other.)
Ah, you may ask, but who will cut off the candidates when they speak too long if there isn’t a moderator?
Well, the first three debates have proven human moderators aren’t very good at cutting off the candidates anyway. A CNN honcho even defended Crowley’s over-allowance of time to Obama — a repeat from Lehrer’s moderation of the first debate — on the ludicrous grounds that Obama speaks more slowly than Romney and might not have gotten in more actual words during his extra minutes of speaking time.
In any case, technology would do a much better job: Simply flash a red light when a candidate has 5 or 10 seconds left, and then cut off his microphone when the time has elapsed.
And what about the questions? Wouldn’t the candidates just make the debates meaningless or overly partisan by getting bogged down in gotcha-style questions?
Oh, you mean like George Stephanopoulos, apropos of nothing, asking GOP candidates about banning contraceptives last January?
It’s a problem that already exists with moderators. But it’s also one that, if the candidates themselves did it, would force voters to evaluate the candidates for asking such questions rather than letting the moderators take the blame. If Obama or Romney asks a gotcha question, he’d have to defend his choice as much as the other candidate had to defend his answer.
You might guess where I land on this issue, for at least one debate per cycle. But what say you? Do we need moderators in presidential debates?
It’s the return, after a brief hiatus, of the Poll Position question. Answer in the nearby poll and in the comments thread below.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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266 comments Add your comment
sailfish
October 19th, 2012
3:06 pm
“You probably would. It takes a strong personality to make tough decisions. Bush could do it.”
One last thing, I’d rather have a president that can THINK situations through with all the far reaching implications of a decision, then a trigger happy shoot from the hip type of leader, there are no do overs in reality.
southpaw
October 19th, 2012
3:07 pm
Tealiban Party October 19th, 2012 2:46 pm
It would have been fun to see Obama beat down Tagg’s prissy behind on national TV.
————————————————-
I acted better than your suggestion for President Obama when I was in the FIFTH EVERLOVIN’ GRADE. Another guy was mad at me and wanted to throw some punches my way. I got behind him and pinned his arms to his sides until he cooled down. Do you really believe the President is either too weak or too violent to do something similar, and would have to resort to fisticuffs?
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:07 pm
sailfish
All politics in Libya? Maybe the after math of that terrible action ’causes questions, but my understanding is that extra security was requested some weeks before the incident because of reports received there by our representatives. None was given. Seems to me that should be investigated. It was a cry for help that was not given by this administration.
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:14 pm
sailfish,
“a trigger happy shoot from the hip” type of president? Are you referring to Bush? He conferred with the prime minister of UK and the Congress of the USA before he made any moves toward Iraq. They alll confirmed and agreed that the reports of wmds were tragedy in the making and agreed with Bush’s suggestions..
Are you in the habit of ignoring facts or your imagination runs wild?
WOW
October 19th, 2012
3:19 pm
It is correct that additional security was requested. It is also correct that during the hearings, it was stated that extra security probably would not have repelled the attack.
How ironic that the people talking about objectivity never mention that part of the testimony
Coincidence?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
3:21 pm
“what more would your like him to do or say less than 24 hours after the fact?”
First, cancel his political activities for the next 48 hours. That gives him time to find out exactly what happened by listening to his people. Just saw scrolled across Fox that the CIA station chief reported that it was a deliberate attack within 24 hours of it happening. It also gives him ime to actually act like a Commander-in-Chief.
Second, stop the nonsense about the video causing it.
Third, don’t send his U.N. Ambassador out on the Sunday talk circuit with the lie.
If he had simply stopped playing at being President instead of acting like one, none of this would have occurred and Romney wouldn’t have a political club to beat him over the head with. If Romney does end up winning this election, there will be two moments that made that happen; the first debate, where people finally got to see that Mitt Romney wasn’t the guy that the campaign and media portrayed and started thinking he could be President, and this issue, where people are finally waking up to the fact that Obama really shouldn’t be President.
catlady
October 19th, 2012
3:25 pm
How should we handle debates? Attach a shocker to each candidate, and if they lie, run out of time, or any other breach, shock the **** out of them! It would be better entertainment, and they might be more careful to speak the truth.
Hillbilly D
October 19th, 2012
3:27 pm
You Repugs have your opinions colored by lies.
I reckon since I’m on record here, many times, saying that party politics disgust me, that sentence doesn’t apply to me. In my perfect world, there’d be no parties. Candidates wouldn’t have a label to hide behind.
catlady
October 19th, 2012
3:27 pm
Then, if they continue, shock their family members!
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 19th, 2012
3:34 pm
This is how you play when your party is on its way to the grave:
A man originally reported to have been working for the Republican Party of Virginia was arrested by the Rockingham County, VA Sheriff’s office on Thursday and charged with attempting to destroy voter registration forms by tossing them into a dumpster behind a shopping center in Harrisonburg, VA.
http://www.salon.com/2012/10/19/gop_voter_registration_scandal_widens/
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 19th, 2012
3:37 pm
Bill Clinton still wants to know where those binders come from….
Hillbilly D
October 19th, 2012
3:37 pm
Speaking of voter fraud……
http://www.walb.com/story/19834587/judge-orders-new
Hillbilly D
October 19th, 2012
3:39 pm
In my opinion, nobody can “multi-task”. The brain can only hold one thought at a time. Let’s saying you’re reading and watching TV. You may read a few seconds, look at the TV a few, and on and on but you can’t do both, in the same instant.
@@
October 19th, 2012
3:40 pm
No moderators? I dunno…I’m not sure there’s enough self-control to pull that off. Cutting off their microphones could work but then we’d be asking who controls the microphone.
I really didn’t have a problem with the moderators. I think Crowley just panicked and yes, stepped out of line.
Working with special needs children, I use a timer quite frequently. It helps if they, themselves, are allowed to set it. I have to adjust when they’re not looking. It allows them to become part of the disciplinary process. It works.
When things get out of control, standing up seems to bring order. Don’t know why that works but it does. Maybe the moderators could stand up when they’re looking to bring order to the debate?
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:40 pm
sailfish,
I know they found no wmds in Iraq. That does not change the inlelligence reports which were believable to the UK prime minister, the Congress of the USA and the president.
The Obama admnistration had reports that a dangerous situation was developing in Libya. NOthing was done about it. Nothing!
Bush had reports that a dangerous situation was developing. He did somethng about it.
You decide. Do you sit on your hands and do nothing? Do you get reports of danger and do something? You can’t be tough on one president and easy on the other. Make up your mind.
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:45 pm
Dear Hillbilly D,
Are you sure you can’t eat, drink and be merry at the same time?
I think so.
Del
October 19th, 2012
3:47 pm
It’s going to be very difficult for Obama to dink and dunk his way through Monday’s debate on the subject of Libya, which will surely come up. I look for him to employ a defense of strong offense and that carry’s a lot of risk. If he employs the Biden smiley faced buffoon tactic, he’ll appear insensitive to the deaths of four Americans. If he feigns outrage over the suggestion that his White House and State Department attempted a coverup he could get into trouble because there’s been too much evidence that points to a probable coverup attempt. If Romney comes armed with that evidence it would be hard for the president to effectively dodge. The libs on here today are kidding themselves if they believe this issue only involves Obama’s word choice in the Rose Garden. The Benghazi attack is far more complicated and Obama doesn’t have the facts on his side.
MarkV
October 19th, 2012
3:49 pm
Dusty @2:41 pm
Thank you for showing me the errors of my ways.
Hillbilly D
October 19th, 2012
3:51 pm
Are you sure you can’t eat, drink and be merry at the same time?
I can’t even eat and drink at the same time. I’d get choked.
WOW
October 19th, 2012
3:51 pm
Del
Does Romney or yourself have all the facts?
I’m with you that it needs to be investigated, as is being done, but you have no more facts than anyone on this blog.
You talk about being objective, yet you haven’t mentioned once that the same guy who said additional security was denied also said that it probably would not have made a difference.
You did watch the hearings as you claim, correct?
MarkV
October 19th, 2012
3:51 pm
“…extra security was requested some weeks before the incident because of reports received there by our representatives. None was given. Seems to me that should be investigated.”
It is good to see Dusty agreeing with President Obama.
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:52 pm
WOW
You also missed a key word. The report said that in all PROBABILITY, more help would not have made a difference.in Be ghazi.
You do know that PROBABILITY suggests guessing. You and I can do that.
I don’t know about you, but if I am in trouble, I prefer more assistance than none and that is not guessing.
WOW
October 19th, 2012
3:52 pm
For the record, politicians and both parties play bs politics with any given issue, so I have no problem with Republicans demanding real answers as well as playing politics.
It is just funny reading your “objective” take, yet being selective in terms of your narrative of the hearing
We're not fixed and all Obama wants to do is cry
October 19th, 2012
3:54 pm
Bill Clinton: Romney’s Argument Is True, Obama Hasn’t Fixed Country
Clinton: Gov. Romney’s argument is, ‘We’re not fixed, so fire him, and put me in.’ It is true, we’re not fixed. When President Obama looked into the eyes of that man who said in the debate, ‘I had so much hope four years ago, and I don’t now,” I thought he was going to cry. Because he knows that it’s not fixed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bIyBrp014M
WOW
October 19th, 2012
3:55 pm
Dusty
That is not your call to make, even though you are welcome to opine like anyone else. Decisions are made all the time based on probabilities. What world do you live in?
Do we nuke NK, China, Russia today because their is a “probability” they could nuke the US or US interests because they have nuke capability?
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
3:56 pm
Any police chief was investigate why a cry for help was not answered.by officers. Sounds like routine procedure in any such situation.
Common Sense
October 19th, 2012
3:59 pm
It’s important to see how the person would act behind closed doors as much as in front of a crowd.
We do need to know the true character, not just the one painted by the media puppets.
And if they cannot handle a fellow American one on one, how will they handle international stress?
Pout? Temper Tantrum? Scholarly?
We need to know.
We're not fixed and all Obama wants to do is cry
October 19th, 2012
4:03 pm
The truth about oil and gas production on public land
Is Gov. Mitt Romney telling the truth when he says oil and gas production is down on public land?
Contrary to President Obama’s assertions, Romney’s telling the truth when he says, “Production of oil on public land is down 14 percent and production of gas on public land is down 9 percent.”
That’s because energy production on federal lands is down compared to 2010, according to the Energy Information Administration. But it is still higher than where production stood under President George W. Bush. Compared to the last three years of the previous administration, according to EIA, there have been 241 million more barrels of oil produced from public lands in Obama’s first three years.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/wp/2012/10/16/the-truth-about-oil-and-gas-production-on-public-land/
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
4:05 pm
“You talk about being objective, yet you haven’t mentioned once that the same guy who said additional security was denied also said that it probably would not have made a difference.”
WOW, there is a HUGE difference between “repelling” an attack, and “buying time to escape”.
Oh, and rocker science, I’ve checked my ballot and Bush doesn’t appear anywhere on it. If you want to campaign in the past like Obama, that’s fine. Just know it won’t do a damned bit of good.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
4:07 pm
“Look at all of the knee-jerk chicken hawks on here! I’ll bet none of them will be volunteering for service anytime soon, if ever at all.”
Did you, rocket science?
‘Cause many of us on here have.
WOW
October 19th, 2012
4:08 pm
Tiberius
Was that talk of escape mentioned anywhere in the testimony?
I am not saying it isn’t. I could have missed it
skipper
October 19th, 2012
4:09 pm
Somebody forgot Crowley’s Reese-Cups………she was delirious.
Road Scholar
October 19th, 2012
4:14 pm
I agree with your comments, Kyle, about the last moderator, but we need a moderator since most politicians are like the energizer bunny and can talk, and talk, and…
While it was reported that Pres Obama spoke for 4 minutes longer, Romney was more rabid and spoke rapidly.I didn’t say they answered the questions. The moderator should have held them staunchly to the 2 minute response time AGREED TO AS TERMS OF THE DEBATE BY BOTH PARTIES. At the end of 2 minutes, the moderator should have told the responder “Thank You” and recognize the other debater. If the responder said (and it was numerous times) that “this is important” as grounds to continue, the moderator should have responded” Well if it so important , why didn’t you get it out sooner in the 2 minute time frame”
There was so much BS thrown by both men that either did not answer the question at hand, or refereed to a previous question that was already left in the dust( one up-man-ship), or had an anecdotal story trying to show their “human side”, they could have answered the question more completely and concisely.
I’m for a stronger moderator to follow the rules agreed upon, and to call a person out for not answering the question asked.That is one thing wrong with this country…everyone trying to outdo the other, without providing value. Not listening to each other…instead formulating your response to what you want to say versus what was asked.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
4:14 pm
“Was that talk of escape mentioned anywhere in the testimony?”
Don’t know, but I am simply pointing out that some people cover their a$$es by holding up a best case scenario (repelling an attack), when a sufficient, but lesser one (buying time to escape) might have still saved the lives of 4 Americans.
Del
October 19th, 2012
4:15 pm
WOW,
Yes I did watch the hearings and what Nordstrom said was that he didn’t think additional security would have prevented an attack but additional security obviously could have stopped it or at least held it off until a reaction force could arrive. You got that from either the NYT’s article or a quote from it where they tried to spin Nordstrom’s comment and make it appear that he didn’t see any failure where the opposite was true, if you heard his entire testimony. There have plenty of facts that have come out over this past month. Saying that I don’t have any facts only tells me that you haven’t been paying attention.
Bob Fliegel
October 19th, 2012
4:18 pm
I believe a moderator is necessary, but think it should be a non-journalist. Two alternatives come to mind: either a professional debate judge (like those who judge university debate team tournaments) or a lawyer/law prof skilled at the Socratic method. Re the latter, retired Harvard Law prof Arthur Miller, renown for his prowess at interrogating adversarial panel participants, would be perfect.
WOW
October 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
Del
Actually, it is his exact quote. Would you like to see it or can google be your guide?
We're not fixed and all Obama wants to do is cry
October 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
Crowley Interrupts Romney 28 Times, Obama Just 9
Candy Crowley, who was suspected of being one more liberal moderator in the tank for Barack Obama, was more than just in the tank for him; she dove in and sucked all the water out for him so he could pretend he walked on water.
In the first presidential debate, Jim Lehrer, no slouch at shilling for the Democratic Party, interrupted Mitt Romney 15 times and Barack Obama only five.
Crowley made Lehrer look like an amateur. She interrupted Obama nine times, (although four of those were when he wouldn’t respect the time limit when discussing assault weapons; he went over his time limit all night long), but when it came to Mitt Romney, she was utterly beyond the pale.
Crowley interrupted Romney 28 times. 28 times. Her desperation to keep Romney from scoring points was so patently obvious that it wasn’t really a surprise when she had her infamous moment: the moment when she interrupted and falsely claimed Romney was incorrect in accusing Obama of refusing to call the Benghazi attack an act of terror.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2012/10/17/Crowley-interrupts-28-times-Romney
getalife
October 19th, 2012
4:19 pm
The look on mitt’s face when he realized he got busted lying was a classic.
mitt does not stand a chance in the last debate.
A rookie get pushed around by neocons is another w disaster.
Road Scholar
October 19th, 2012
4:20 pm
We’re not fixed…: Do you own a house? Is it ever fixed? Don’t things pop up that are not anticipated…some good…mostly bad? That is why they call homes “the money pit”.
Now do things change in reality? Weekly? Daily? Hourly? So with change being constant, and variable in intensity…do YOU ever have everything fixed?
Add to it a wife (House) telling you how to do it- a wife that always contradicts you- and just how fast do you make that fix or change?
WOW
October 19th, 2012
4:22 pm
Del
Going after the administration for what they said, when they knew what is more than fair game, however it is not a coincidence that in your numerous post on this issue you fail to mention that part of the testimomy
We're not fixed and all Obama wants to do is cry
October 19th, 2012
4:25 pm
Bob Beckel On Romney Poll Lead: ‘It’s Over’
On Fox News’ “The Five”, former Democratic strategist Bob Beckel sounded defeated when reflecting on today’s Gallup poll showing Mitt Romney taking a 52-46 percent lead over Barack Obama nationally. “It’s over. If these numbers are true, it’s over,” Beckel said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4emiu81OTdU
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
4:25 pm
“What do you mean Bush isn’t there?”
Exactly what I said.
“Romney has hired just about all of Bush’s advisers and he’s even bought Billy Graham’s support, same as Bush.”
“Bought” Graham’s support, rocket? Really? Provide proof.
And if you haven’t figured it out by now, Romney is his own man, with different polices (if you take the time to listen to them or read them.
“He’s pushing trickle down economics, same as Bush.”
Actually, he’s not.
“Karl Rove and the Koch brothers are pulling the strings, same as Bush”
Nope. Not even close, but keep deluding yourself.
“If you’ve already seen the ballot, that means you have already voted. ”
Nope. So you’re wrong again, rocket.
But at least you’re consistently wrong.
Dusty
October 19th, 2012
4:25 pm
WOW
PROBABILITY is still guesses whether you use it in finance, politics or foreign policy. Better than guessing, maybe, but still open to doubt. I
.
Don’t nuke anybody that hasn’t nuked you. Reliable studies show that is the best unless you have strong evidence to prove otherwise. Ask the Japanese.
I’d better go cook those pork chiops because there is a probability that somone will be hungry tonight!!!!! Just a guess but they are already checking out the kitchen. Attack is coming!!
. . .
Don't Tread
October 19th, 2012
4:25 pm
Do we need moderators in presidential debates?
Easy answer: Yes, unbiased ones.
We're not fixed and all Obama wants to do is cry
October 19th, 2012
4:26 pm
Do liberals own a brain?
WOW
October 19th, 2012
4:27 pm
Lamb rejected allegations from Republican lawmakers, supported by Lt. Col. Andrew Wood, former head of a 16-member U.S. military team that helped protect the embassy in Tripoli, that an extension of Wood’s mission could have made a difference during the attack.
“It would not have made any difference in Benghazi,” Lamb said, pointing out that Wood’s team was based in Tripoli and spent nearly all of its time there.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 19th, 2012
4:27 pm
Road, the difference here is when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
Obama recognized the hole, but kept digging anyway.
And wants to dig even more in the next 4 years.
Del
October 19th, 2012
4:28 pm
WOW,
Please…Nordstrom did not say that additional security would not have prevented the breach and resultant murders of our personnel. Saying that additional security personnel probably would not have prevented the planned attack is meaningless and only meant as a spin attempt. If you watched and listened to Nordstrom’s testimony you would know that he was very critical of the administration.
WOW
October 19th, 2012
4:30 pm
Dusty
Keep flailing. You can read the testimony if you like and Del can keep trying to say I have a spin of a quote. No, I have the actual quote but it is alright. He flails all the time
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57529888/house-probes-security-leading-up-to-libya-attack/?tag=mncol;lst;4