Debate Rules

Here are just a few of the rules for the Presidential Debates.

In total there are 32 pages of rules, but these are some of the more interesting.

The candidates are not allowed to ask each other questions, but may raise rhetorical questions.

The candidates get to choose how they will be addressed (such as "President" Bush or "Senator" Kerry.)

The moderator is supposed to manage the debate so that each candidate answers 16 questions.

On the October 8 debate, citizens will be allowed to ask questions. The moderator will review the questions, but nobody else is allowed to see the questions. If the questioner tries to pull a bait and switch, and ask a question that is different from the one the person submitted, the moderator is supposed to cut them off. And shut off the microphone. The audience members for the "Town Meeting" will be made up of equal numbers of so-called "soft Bush" supporters and "soft Kerry" supporters. The Gallup organization will find the people who will ask questions.

The campaigns are forbidden from contacting the citizens who will be asking questions for the October 8 forum.

The campaigns are forbidden from using video or audio clips from the debate in campaign ads, but I don't see anything that will keep the "527" groups from using the clips.

The candidates will be standing behind 50-inch "podiums" for the debates, except for the Town Meeting, when they will sit on stools. The agreement says they will stand behind a "podium." Podiums are elevated platforms or low walls.

Candidates are expressly forbidden from using risers that will make them look taller.

The TV camera shots will be locked down.

There will be no "cutaway" shots of the other candidate while one candidate is talking. So you won't see "reaction" shots of the other guy rolling his eyes or whatever.

Each candidate will have his own make-up person.
(Let's hope Kerry find someone who will not make him look orange.)

Each candidate may have Secret Service folks and one staff member in the stage wings.

The President and Veep both get to have a physician and military advisor in the wings.

Each campaign gets 30 press passes to the Media Center during the debate, which allows for appropriate amounts of "spin control." There is no limit on the number of "Spinsters" the campaigns may send to the media center after the debate.