General Discussion

cynatnite

(31,011 posts) Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:38 PM Jun 2012

High school students petition for a woman to moderate presidential debates...

It's been 20 years since a woman moderated a presidential debate, but three New Jersey high school students are hoping to change that this year.

Emma Axelrod, Sammi Siegel and Elena Tsemberis, high school sophomores from Montclair, N.J., have launched a petition on Change.org calling for the Commission on Presidential Debates to select a female moderator for at least one of the three 2012 presidential debates between President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney in October.

ABC News' Carole Simpson, the last woman to moderate a presidential debate, served as moderator of a 1992 debate between Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot. PBS' Gwen Ifill moderated two vice presidential debates (2004's Dick Cheney-John Edwards and 2008's Joe Biden-Sarah Palin), but the rest have been moderated by men.

"The fact that there hasn't been a female moderator of one of the debates in so long is just another sign that America is a long way away from being as equal as it thinks it is," Axelrod said in a press release.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/students-petition-female-moderator-presidential-debates-153900693.html

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

High school students petition for a woman to moderate presidential debates... (Original Post) cynatnite Jun 2012 OP

Rachel Maddow exboyfil Jun 2012 #1

That's exactly who I was thinking of, too. n/t cynatnite Jun 2012 #2

YES! I was thinking about this the other day. Ship of Fools Jun 2012 #4

DING DING DING - Maddow!!!! HopeHoops Jun 2012 #5

Romney's campaign would never allow it. n/t FSogol Jun 2012 #8

I think she would be fair, but people would not perceive her to be fair bluestateguy Jun 2012 #10

Actually I kind of like the idea of Rachel exboyfil Jun 2012 #11

Yes, it is only fair for a woman to moderate one. SoutherDem Jun 2012 #3

We'll probably get stuck with Megyn Kelly bluestateguy Jun 2012 #6

Gwen Ifill, a minority woman, has moderated the last two VICE presidential debates rocktivity Jun 2012 #7

Yeah, really. Why can't Gewn do it? nt BlueIris Jun 2012 #9

GOP won't like this at all Quantess Jun 2012 #12

exboyfil

(17,863 posts)

1. Rachel Maddow

Reply to cynatnite (Original post)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:43 PM

Jun 2012

cynatnite

(31,011 posts)

2. That's exactly who I was thinking of, too. n/t

Reply to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:44 PM

Jun 2012

Ship of Fools

(1,453 posts)

4. YES! I was thinking about this the other day.

Reply to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 06:55 PM

Jun 2012

My guess is that she's too far down on the food-chain
(seniority wise, that is)?

I doubt Mrs. Greenspan would allow it.

HopeHoops

(47,675 posts)

5. DING DING DING - Maddow!!!!

Reply to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 07:18 PM

Jun 2012

FSogol

(45,488 posts)

8. Romney's campaign would never allow it. n/t

Reply to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 08:49 PM

Jun 2012

bluestateguy

(44,173 posts)

10. I think she would be fair, but people would not perceive her to be fair

Reply to exboyfil (Reply #1)

Fri Jun 8, 2012, 03:23 AM

Jun 2012

Rachel Maddow would be a great moderator for a Democratic primary debate, however.

exboyfil

(17,863 posts)

11. Actually I kind of like the idea of Rachel

Reply to bluestateguy (Reply #10)

Fri Jun 8, 2012, 03:52 AM

Jun 2012

doing one before the idiot Sean Hannity does one. The contrast would be spectacular to behold and Hannity would not be able to help himself. Only works if Rachel leads off with the first one - kind of like baiting the trap.

Fantasyland obviously.