http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/999999999/NEWS09/71109067/1001
Des Moines Register Presidential Debate information
DECEMBER 6, 2007
The Des Moines Register Presidential Debates will be held on Wednesday, December 12 at 1 p.m. for the Republicans and Thursday, December 13 at 1 p.m. for the Democrats.
Carolyn Washburn, editor of The Des Moines Register, will moderate the debates, which will be held at Iowa Public Television Studios in Johnston, Iowa.
We’d like citizens to suggest their own questions for the debate. Please send any questions you’d like us to consider to Register Politics Editor Kathie Obradovich at kobradov@dmreg.com.
Here are my comments:
Iowa holds a special place in presidential politics since it is the first real test of the candidates. Iowa citizens and media have the responsibility for taking the political temperature of the heartland. The entire country wants to know what Iowa thinks.
As we have in recent days, polls can shift dramatically. I do not think a party or the media should restrict access in events, such as debates. All candidates should have an equal number of questions and a roughly equal amount of response time. The number of questions or the time devoted to a candidate in a debate should not depend on national polls, media exposure, position, money or name recognition. The debates should give everyone a fair shot.
In the Republican debates, Giuliani and Romney are asked about abortion and Tancredo and Hunter are asked about immigration. Please mix it up a little. This also applies to the Democratic candidates.
Do your part in the first leg of the race and hold a fair evenhanded debate.
It’s not perfect, but it gets the point across. I also sent a copy to the email address listed above to call their attention to the post. The email address link actually displays two addresses when it pops up.
I’m sure they will do better than CNN
“.. All candidates should have an equal number of questions and a roughly equal amount of response time. ..”
Absolutely.
Let’s all contact them re: EQUAL TIME for all the candidates so voters can make an informed decision.
And also, I’m going to submit a pro-life question for Duncan Hunter, so people will know that he is the pro-life candidate.