Posted on 10/14/2012 9:10:17 PM PDT by cdchik123
In a rare example of political unity, both the Romney and the Obama campaigns have expressed concern to the Commission on Presidential Debates about how the moderator of the Tuesday town hall has publicly described her role, TIME has learned.
While an early October memorandum of understanding between the Obama and Romney campaigns and the bipartisan commission sponsoring the debates suggests CNN‘s Candy Crowley would play a limited role in the Tuesday night session, Crowley, who is not a party to that agreement, has done a series of interviews on her network in which she has suggested she will assume a broader set of responsibilities. As Crowley put it last week, “Once the table is kind of set by the town hall questioner, there is then time for me to say, ‘Hey, wait a second, what about x, y, z?’”
According to the town hall format language in the agreement, after each audience question and both two-minute responses from the candidates, Obama and Romney are expected to have an additional discussion facilitated by Crowley. Yet her participation is meant to be otherwise limited. As stated by the commission: “In managing the two-minute comment periods, the moderator will not rephrase the question or open a new topic….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 2 minute response period.” The memorandum, which has been obtained by TIME, was signed by lawyers for the two campaigns on October 3, the day of the first presidential debate in Denver.
(Excerpt) Read more at thepage.time.com ...
"Gov. Romney, you have cited the multiple failures of this administration since 2009, but do believe that electing the first Africa-American president in US history was an historic achievement for the country, and if you do believe it to be historic, wouldn't the defeat of that president by a lilly-white man, such as yourself, be a step backwards for race relations? 30 seconds to respond.
Why do I imagine the Crowley’s reframing and follow ups to Obama will simply tee up another prototypical platitude Fest for Obama? While Crowley’s reframing and follow ups to Romney will be confrontational.
My prediction, Crowley is wavy enough to throw at least one dig at Obama to secure the some appearance of credibility. Otherwise 10 to 1 attack on Romney.
Crowley wants to sit at the head table with Martha at this years press correspondents dinner. While Jim Lerher gets a milk crate in the kitchen.
“Knock it off...we are better than that.”
Well obviously we are not. :))
Crowley is a liberal and you’ll never meet one that isn’t interested in control.
What is the opposite of a “toothless hillbilly”?
A valleygirl with an orthodontist.
Her reward for helping Obama will be a lifetime pass to Ruth’s Chris Steak House.
Is she related to Obama appointed person at the state department PJ Crowley? If so how can this be partisan .
Romney agreed to submit himself to a fat stupid leftist. What could go wrong?
Excuse me, how can this be? How can rules for a debate be established and the "Moderator" is not required to follow them? Is this a typical arrangement?
(It could be, I really don't know. It's the first I'd heard of a "Memorandum of Understanding" for any debate.)
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