“It was a symposium featuring two candidates who promise not to “play gotcha”,”
Right. And I think this is a more desirable format for voters to learn about the candidates and the issues.
It's not bad. It's just not a debate, and bears no resemblance to Lincoln-Douglas. That label is a farce.
I'd like to see real debate of issues. You can have debate without "gotcha", no matter what Newt says.
They should do it like playoffs:
Paul v Cain
Romney v Newt
Have some mechanism for viewers to vote the winners.
Then a final between the winners.