link added: http://www.pbs.org/now/debate.html#
I saw a news report on PBS that was basically saying the current debate format is really more like a press conference than a debate.
There are many rules in place to ensure that the candidates are not "put on the spot" by the moderator or each other.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, the orginization that runs the debates, was setup by both the Republican and Democratic parties so that they could control exactly how the debates are run.
The debates used to be controlled by the League of Women Voters, but I guess the two major parties got tired of having their canditates have to think on their feet.
For more info: http://www.opendebates.org/
I saw a news report on PBS that was basically saying the current debate format is really more like a press conference than a debate.
There are many rules in place to ensure that the candidates are not "put on the spot" by the moderator or each other.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, the orginization that runs the debates, was setup by both the Republican and Democratic parties so that they could control exactly how the debates are run.
The debates used to be controlled by the League of Women Voters, but I guess the two major parties got tired of having their canditates have to think on their feet.
For more info: http://www.opendebates.org/