Great Debates: Why They Matter & What Is at Stake

Political debates are unscripted television at its best. This evening will explore the risks and rewards for candidates as well as issues the networks and moderators face before the 2012 debates begin the following week on October 3.

The evening will commence with a conversation featuring Barbara Walters and Carole Simpson, the first women to moderate presidential debates. The panel with its diverse perspectives will then take the audience behind-the-scenes of these pivotal live televised events, examining the challenges that networks have in airing these high-stakes contests.  The panel will also explore how having new formats, like town meetings, and new technology, such as social media, impacted the process. And the seminal question will be asked: Are the debates still the best way to inform the electorate about where candidates stand on issues?