2012 Presidential Debates

The first of the 2012 Presidential Debates will be held in Denver Colorado on the third of October which is a Wednesday. The time scheduled is for 9:00-10:30 PM EST and the venue is slated to be the University of Denver. The main focus is to be on domestic policy but i am sure there will still be a few mentions of the still ongoing wars. It has been announced that all major television stations will be televising the debates. I have compiled a list that i found elsewhere online. 

• C-SPAN
• ABC
• CBS
• FOX
• NBC
• CNN
• Fox News
• MSNBC

There may be some others that have not been so far mentioned by name or are more local in nature, but these are the most identifiable of the main news stations. Jim Lehrer is the first moderator up to ask questions that are almost certainly scripted and read well in advance by each candidate. Each of the candidates will have two minutes to answer the questions asked by the moderator. The economy will probably be the main focus this time around with the unemployment rate still at elevated levels this will consume a great part of the focus. Each candidate will assuredly put forth a vague plan to both conquer the high unemployment rate while still being able to cut the deficit. Quite a parlor trick that will be. I anticipate that Romney, the republican nominee, will speak a great deal on cutting taxes to stimulate growth in the economy while still being able to cut the ever growing budget deficit. The democrat nominee, and current president, Barack Obama, will speak about tax rate increases and increased government government spending in order to stimulate growth. There is an off chance that a debate or question on the federal reserves recent decision to buy more mortgage backed securities might come up. Anticipate Obama being in full support of the plan, while Romney being timidly in opposition of the plan while sneaking in a comment about needing a change at the banks head.

There will be some other individuals who have thrown their name in the ring for president who will be excluded form the events. Only a couple would actually be in enough states to be able to will. Green party candidate Jill Stein and Gary Johnson, former Governor on New Mexico. Who has actually sued to be included citing the Sherman act. His case is based on the fact that the Commission on Presidential Debates is a monopoly or Duopoly seeking to restrain trade, according the provisions of the act. It was set up by both the Democrats and Republicans after Ross Perot's presidential bid. It's goal is to reduce competition in the realm of presidential elections by making up arbitrary rules that make it almost impossible for other parties to have a viable chance of getting elected. Other than their intentions  these are verifiable facts about the commission. Don't hold your breath that he will actually win this in court as the entire system seems to be in protection mode for the status quo.

The rest of the 2012 Presidential Debate Schedule looks like this:

October 12th we will see the Vice Presidential candidates face off in Danville, KY at Centre College. Martha Raddatz from ABC will be the moderator. The event will also be at 9:00-10:30 PM EST, as will all the events actually. Both domestic and foreign policy will be on the slate as this will be the only time that Joe Biden and Paul Ryan will get during this season to explain how they will support the presidential ticket. If anyone has heard Joe Biden speak on foreign policy, which I have on a number of occasions, he will undoubtedly wipe the floor with Paul Ryan who is much less informed on these issues. Paul Ryan will try to score some points by speaking about some plans he drafted for debt reduction and how to preserve entitlement plans, while reducing the costs.

October 16, 2012 will be the next date we see the presidential hopefuls again, this time at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. This will probably be a bit more interesting than the first as the town hall meeting formats tend to be a bit more open a dialogue. This time as apposed to the first debate, both foreign and domestic policy will be on the table. CNN correspondent, Candy Crowley will moderate this one in which citizens will get to ask the candidates questions, with 2 minute respondents. Now according to what I have read, the people in the crowd will be self identified voters, according to Gallup. Which will mean that it will be filled with liars gaming the system in order to get in. My second guess would be plants sent by each campaign to ask softball questions to make their guy look good.

October 22, 2012 will be the last debate and will be a very familiar format, as it will be a copy of the first debate only this time the topic is foreign policy. The venue for the last debate and last major opportunity for each of the presidential hopefuls to speak to their strengths on a national stage, will be in Boca Raton Florida on the campus of Lynn University. CBS main stay Bob Schieffer from Face the Nation will be the moderator. I would expect both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama to speak of the glories of war and the might of the empire. Iran will be mentioned more than any other country by a factor of 2. With Romney attacking Obama for not having blown them up already. China and their supposed currency manipulation will be a close second I am guessing. Obama will say that he has done a lot to pressure them to move on the currency front and Romney complaining he hasn't done enough. This night will be filled with only slight differences between the two, with Romney always saying he would do more than the President has already done, in essence.