Jim Lehrer Announces Topics For 1st Presidential Debate
The first debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, which will take place Oct. 3 at the University of Denver, is supposed to be about domestic policy. PBS NewsHour host Jim Lehrer, who will moderate, has released the following list of topics:
- The Economy – I
- The Economy – II
- The Economy – III
- Health Care
- The Role of Government
- Governing
There is, however, a caveat. The topics are “subject to possible changes because of news developments.” This happened in 2008. A debate that was supposed to be about foreign policy took place immediately after the Wall Street crash. As a result, the first half of the discussion was about the economy. That hurt Sen. John McCain and helped Sen. Obama.
Here is a complete list of scheduled debates and topics:
Vice presidential debate:
Thursday, October 11, 8 p.m. CST
Centre College, Danville, KY
Moderator: Martha Raddatz, Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent, ABC News
Second presidential debate: town hall meeting format on foreign and domestic policy
Tuesday, October 16
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY
Moderator: Candy Crowley, Chief Political Correspondent, CNN and Anchor, CNN's State of the Union
Third presidential debate: foreign policy
Monday, October22
Lynn University, Boca Raton, FL
Moderator: Bob Schieffer, Chief Washington Correspondent, CBS News and Moderator, Face the Nation
More information is on the Commission on Presidential Debates website at www.debates.org.
