Report: In the Debates, Romney Broke the Rules More Than Obama

[octoberlib]

http://www.thenation.com/blog/170713/report-debates-romney-broke-rules-more-obama ...................SNIP......... Romney not only broke the rules more often, he also invoked them more to pursue an edge during the debates. That tic was satirized by Saturday Night Live and lamented by conservatives, such as the Times’s Ross Douthat, who wrote after the second debate that Romney tends to “argue pointlessly with the moderator and his opponents over the rules of order.” While appealing to the moderator can certainly make a candidate look petty, it turns out that the only penalty for infractions mandated in the debate rules is a moderator interruption. Under Section 5 of the rules, which were negotiated by the campaigns and the debate commission, the moderator is supposed to interrupt and cite the rules when candidates go over time, reference an audience member or use banned props.

Jim Lehrer rarely took that tack in the first debate. While he was roundly criticized on style points, of course, his approach also abdicated the moderator’s technical duty under the rules. At one point, Lehrer even prompted Romney to pose “a question that you’d like to ask the president directly about something he just said.” Since the rules specifically bar the nominees from asking “each other direct questions,” it was quite odd for the moderator to invite such an infraction. Romney carefully replied without technically posing a direct question—he appeared mindful of the rule in the first debate, and did not break it until the feistier town hall session..........SNIP................

Interesting article on debate rules and the Debate Commission.

[Cha]

1. thanks octoberlib..this might

come in handy tomorrow night.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

2. Thank you for the link.

Great info.

[Tx4obama]

3. Since Michelle is mentioned, here's a rule Ann Romney broke that isn't mentioned in the article ...

Ann Romney Caught on Video Saying "WHAT?!" to Obama During Debate

And btw, after the debate ...
This is a bit lame but I'll post it below anyway.

Ann Romney flips off President Obama after debate (video)

After Tuesday’s presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, Ann Romney is caught on tape by CNN smugly flipping the bird at President Obama.

While CNN did not comment, they were obviously surprised at what they just caught on tape because they rewound the video and replayed it again as pundits are seen in a split screen discussing the debate. The video is posted with this article. A close up video of Ann Romney giving the bird can be seen here:

-snip-

http://www.examiner.com/article/ann-romney-flips-off-president-obama-after-debate-video

[octoberlib]

4. Omg!

Can you imagine these people dealing with world leaders? What a nightmare! They have no respect for the office of the President . None.

[mnhtnbb]

7. What a classy family.

Flip the bird to the President of the United States.

Threaten to punch out the President of the United States.

All around class.

[tavalon]

5. Sociopathic bullies don't need no stinking rules

[bemildred]

6. I thought that was pretty obvious.

But then I forgot it's never obvious in US politics.