In what appears to be the most disappointing thing of the Presidential debate season thus far, Slate reports that Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have agreed that they should be asked no follow-up questions during tonight’s debate.

According to Slate:

[Moderator Candy Crowley]’s assignment—as defined by the commission and the two campaigns—is to take a much more hands-off role than either of the two moderators who came before her. While Lehrer and Raddatz challenged Obama/Romney and Biden/Ryan with varying-degrees of follow-ups, both ultimately were given more or less free rein to ask their questions how they saw fit. Not so for Crowley, who isn’t allowed to “rephrase the [audience member’s] question or open a new topic … ask follow-up questions or comment on either the questions asked by the audience or the answers of the candidates during the debate,” according to a memo signed by both camps earlier this month that set the ground rules.

That memo, which was originally obtained by Time magazine (and which you can find here,) outlines these rules as such:

7 (c), IV: “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 invited the candidate comments during the 2 minute response period.”
7 (d): “The audience members shall not ask follow-up questions or otherwise participate in the extended discussion, and the audience member’s microphone shall be turned off after he or she completes asking the questions.”

But Crowley doesn’t plan to take this agreement, which doesn’t appear to have her name on it anywhere, laying down. Crowley said this on CNN:

“They will call on ‘Alice,’ and ‘Alice’ will stand up and ask a question. Both candidates will answer. Then there’s time for a follow-up question, facilitating a discussion, whatever you want to call it,” Crowley said. “So if Alice asks oranges, and someone answers apples, there’s the time to go, ‘But Alice asked oranges? What’s the answer to that?” Or, ‘Well, you say this, but what about that?'”

Crowley also told Politico.com that “we don’t want the candidates to spout talking points. That doesn’t help voters … I’m going to react organically to what’s happening.”

Kudos to you, Candy Crowley. You deserve all the credit in the world for holding the candidates to actually giving responses — let’s just see if you can actually make it happen.

This article appears in Oct 11-17, 2012.

3 replies on “It Appears The Candidates Want Nothing to Do With Follow-Up Questions Tonight”

  2. Once again, the next US presidential election will be fixed. Mitt Romney will be elected even though Barack Obama would have received more votes in the 2012 election. The political assassination will be perpetrated by Bush hiding behind Crossroads GPS, the most influential group of Neocons.

    The Neocons will have Mitt Romney elected to first use him and then let him fall easy prey. All blames and responsibilities will fall on the new Mormon president for the events already planned.

    The new World War of Religion is already a done deal behind the backs of all people which will be forced to fight for their own Countries in their obligation as citizens

    ……………

    Since 9/11 it’s the War on Terror
    One “false flag” attack so called by error
    Blair, Bush, and Israel had a Pact in store
    Their next surprise is knocking at your door
    A hidden vile Idea from those who want “more”
    will use you and your Belief for the next World War
    As “chosen people” gain while Humankind loses
    Greed wins not by the swords but by the words of Moses
    Daring is to tell you when, better then to tell you rhymes
    could not side with either one to get ready for our times
    to look beyond and past today to seek for a solution
    one only hope is there for you and spells Wavevolution

    ……………….

    A new type of Revolution wins with the ultimate weapon:
    Your Mind

    http://www.wavevolution.org/en/humanwaves.…

  3. Morning after. What a crock of political bull crap. Put them both in a boxing ring and let them beat the hell out of eachother and let someone else win the election.
    Ya know I don’t care about the 1% or 5% millionaires or those making $100,000 or more, what about the lower poor middle class that continues to get screwed with higher taxes (local taxes included), high cost of living with no meaningful increase in income, etc. Not one politican ever answers nor cares about how to help these people. It is always same political crap to get more money and votes so that they can continue to screw the sheep all the way to the slaughterhouse. Two party system makes me puke.

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