# Hanky Panky: Did Mitt Cheat At the Debate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 6, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930 "2012-10-06T19:43:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/41 "2012-10-07T20:38:52Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > You mean like a town hall meeting? That’s the next one. They get podiums in those too, sometimes. [http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Obama+Holds+Town+Hall+Meeting+Health+Care+SJ1vRdYrhqEl.jpg](http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Obama+Holds+Town+Hall+Meeting+Health+Care+SJ1vRdYrhqEl.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/42 "2012-10-07T20:52:28Z")
> [@April\_R](#): > > They get podiums in those too, sometimes. > [http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Obama+Holds+Town+Hall+Meeting+Health+Care+SJ1vRdYrhqEl.jpg](http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Obama+Holds+Town+Hall+Meeting+Health+Care+SJ1vRdYrhqEl.jpg) The last three presidential election town hall debates have been without a podium. I know that was the case in 1992, too, which was the first town hall debate. I haven’t bothered to find out about 1996. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/43 "2012-10-07T21:03:05Z")
Why can’t they use notes. I think it would make for a more informative debate if they were allowed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/44 "2012-10-07T23:28:32Z")
Lectern. You want them to debate without lecterns. You stand ON a podium. You stand BEHIND a lectern. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/45 "2012-10-07T23:50:32Z")
Every dictionary I’ve just looked at gives “lectern” as one of the various definitions of “podium”. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/46 "2012-10-08T02:25:16Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Lectern. You want them to debate without lecterns. You stand ON a podium. You stand BEHIND a lectern. > [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Every dictionary I’ve just looked at gives “lectern” as one of the various definitions of “podium”. You are both right! > [@](#): > > Podium has also come to mean the object a speaker stands behind and sets papers or books upon even when it is at floor level, though the traditional term for that item is lectern. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/47 "2012-10-08T06:31:46Z")
Did we ever find out what that “thing” on GWB’s back was during his debate? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930/48 "2012-10-08T06:33:51Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Did we ever find out what that “thing” on GWB’s back was during his debate? It was a handkerchief. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hanky-panky-did-mitt-cheat-at-the-debate/636930.md?page=2)