Debate Schedule, all beginning at 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

"1. First Presidential Debate:
Date: September 26 – Site: University of Mississippi – Topic: Foreign Policy & National Security – Moderator: Jim Lehrer – Staging: Podium debate – Answer Format: The debate will be broken into nine, 9-minute segments. The moderator will introduce a topic and allow each candidate 2 minutes to comment. After these initial answers, the moderator will facilitate an open discussion of the topic for the remaining 5 minutes, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment

2. Vice Presidential Debate
Date: October 2nd – Site: Washington University (St. Louis) – Moderator: Gwen Ifill – Staging/Answer Format: Debate will consist of both foreign and domestic policy questions asked by the moderator. Format will be similar to the presidential debates.

3. Second Presidential Debate
Date: October 7 – Site: Belmont University – Moderator: Tom Brokaw – Staging: Town Hall debate – Format: The moderator will call on members of the audience (and draw questions from the internet). Each candidate will have 2 minutes to respond to each question. Following those initial answers, the moderator will invite the candidates to respond to the previous answers, for a total of 1 minute, ensuring that both candidates receive an equal amount of time to comment. In the spirit of the Town Hall, all questions will come from the audience (or internet), and not the moderator.

4. Third Presidential Debate
Date: October 15 – Site: Hofstra University – Topic: Domestic and Economic Issues – Moderator: Bob Schieffer – Staging: Candidates will be seated at a table – Answer Format: Same as First Presidential Debate – Closing Statements: At the end of this debate (only) each candidate shall have the opportunity for a 90 second closing statement."

Thanks!! Poor Gwen Ifill.

Obama rejects McCain's call to delay debate

McCain's going to be too busy wheeling and dealing over the bank bailout plan in Washington to talk to the US electorate? Is that excuse really going to fly? It doesn't exactly hold out much promise of open government, should he be elected, does it? He can't spare an evening?

Of course, his story might be more convincing if the candidates had to devote significant amounts of time to rehearsing and cramming for debates, instead of being already informed and prepared enough to think on their feet and deal with tough questions at a moment's notice, like someone in office would have to...

It says in that article that Palin is canceling her "limited" campaign events. Why? Palin courts cameras, dodges questions

'Now if he goes to the debate he will look as if he has been dragged there; if he doesn't go he will look frightened. This is an unhappy situation he has created entirely for himself. To panic and dash about the nation suspending campaigns and mentioning 9/11 will seem odd to most Americans. President Bush looked much calmer and Barack Obama - with his laconic observation that presidents have to be able to focus on more than one thing at a time - nailed him.' Nailing a sneezing maverick

Actually, I'm warming to the idea of McCain as president. It'd be amusing, maybe - like having Corporal Jones in charge; "Don't panic! Don't panic!.."

quote:

Originally posted by newnickname:
Of course, his story might be more convincing if the candidates had to devote significant amounts of time to rehearsing and cramming for debates, instead of being already informed and prepared enough to think on their feet and deal with tough questions at a moment's notice, like someone in office would have to...

It was already reported that Obama was spending several days cramming in Florida. The call to Washington may have interrupted his study; he might forget stuff if the debate is postponed.

McCain seems to have made a shrewd political choice. And, in fact, he is needed in Washington if the bailout bill is to pass, to deliver the Republicans.

That may r may not be smart. Polls run in the 90%+ range (I have seen one survey at 99%) in opposition to the bill from taxpayers.

Yes, of course Obama has been cramming. The suspicion is that, with McCain, the cramming hasn't worked. Or is the ploy even more convoluted - McCain's suggestion is that the debate be rescheduled to replace the vice-presidential one, thus maybe sparing Palin.

'Abraham Lincoln ran for re-election while leading the Union troops in the civil war. Franklin Roosevelt ran for re-election in the midst of terrible depression in 1936, a far worse economic crisis than we have right now, and in 1944 while prosecuting the second world war.' A move so unserious, contemptible and cynical that it's hard to imagine how they even thought of it.

A non-partisan view of McCain's "ploy":

McCain Plays It Like McCain

If he's such a maverick, though, what good can he do in 'delivering the Republicans'? That's more a role for whatever the US equivalent of a party whip is.

McCain to attend debate

Now he just looks silly - he said he wouldn't go if a deal hadn't been reached, and a deal hasn't been reached.

Just what you want in a President; someone who makes dramatic, snap decisions which he later has to reverse.

quote:

Originally posted by newnickname:
McCain to attend debate

Now he just looks silly - he said he wouldn't go if a deal hadn't been reached, and a deal hasn't been reached.

.

More than no deal being reached: at the end of the link Obama was saying that he'd decided that it was better he was not present because there should not be an injection of presidential politics in the 'delicate negotiations'. Could McCain not see that?

Controversy brews up around VP debate moderator Ifill

Too bad Mr. Rogers isn't still around to moderate the VP debate. I think he would be nice to Sarah