It ISN'T a debate when you have a moderator, its a menage a trois.

[Philosoraptor]

Having a third party in a debate is like having a third person in the bed with you, you can't really call it a debate in the classic sense of the word. When did 'debates' start using moderators anyway?

Did Lincoln and Douglas need a moderator? A moderator is more useful say in a boxing ring than a debate.

What they call debates these days is a joke, if it had been a REAL debate, palin would've run off in tears.

[stephinrome]

1. but...

Having a third party in a debate

...having some third party candidates would have been nice.

[Orrex]

2. "palin would've run off in tears"

And then for the next five weeks or so the media would paint Obama and Biden as aggressive assholes.

I wouldn't mind the moderator, if the moderator said more than:

"I'm going to ask a question, but feel free to recite whatever talking points you've memorized, instead of answering."