In arbitration hearings, one of the biggest negotiating points for attorneys is the obvious - the arbitrator. Union attorneys don't want business sympathizers and corporate counsel doesn't want a Jimmy Hoffa clone.
Raddatz? Crowley? Schieffer? Are you nuts?
I thik moderators are unnecessary—just have open mikes rigged to timers: time’s up, mike goes off.
This is one of my pet peeves.....the GOP are pussies.
Debates generally favor the incumbent. If there were no debates, Romney would lose because he would have little chance to speak to Americans in his own voice, and the DNC/MSM combine would have almost complete freedom to define him.
So the incumbent (Obama) would have preferred NOT to debate, but not debating makes him look like a chicken, so the Dems submitted to it even though there is little upside potential, unless the challenger makes a fool of himself.
So the incumbent has the upper hand in any debate negotiations.
That's bad, but not as bad as Gwen Ifill in 2008, who had a book in the works on Obama to be released after the election, which amounted to a $500,000 bet on his victory.