# Who would be the best moderator for Presidential debates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 4, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686 "2012-10-04T13:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Oedipus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Oedipus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oedipus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/81 "2012-10-07T14:17:45Z")
> [@love rhombus](#): > > r. Lee ermey. That would be fun. no you cannot respond president o-ba-ma! You already had your time! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/82 "2012-10-07T16:47:32Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > R. Lee Ermey. That would be fun. I know you posted that in jest, not least because RLE is a known Republican, but I think that he’d actually be firm and fair. His allegiance to America would top his party allegiance. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/83 "2012-10-24T17:20:48Z")
Assume there’s going to be another presidential debate. Who’s on your short list of effective moderators? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/84 "2012-10-24T17:48:05Z")
Forget Jim Lehrer…I want TOM Lehrer! ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/85 "2012-10-24T17:49:14Z")
How about Bob Costas? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/86 "2012-10-24T17:53:26Z")
Identical thread from a few weeks ago. [Link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=667610) ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/87 "2012-10-24T19:23:10Z")
The right would never stand for it but Jon Stewart would be high on my list. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/88 "2012-10-24T19:34:31Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Identical thread from a few weeks ago. > > [Link.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=667610) Threads merged. > [@Senegoid](#): > > The above discussion also mentions some of the tools that the moderator does / doesn’t / should / shouldn’t have – like a cut-off button. > > How about having the next debate moderated by our very own **SDMB moderator staff** using the very latest vBulletin moderation tools? > [@elucidator](#): > > Well, it _would_ advance their program for world domination. _I’m flattered, but I couldn’t possibly_ oh fine, I read this thread just to see if anyone else would suggest this. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/89 "2012-10-24T20:52:27Z")
Chuck Barris would make a good moderator. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/90 "2012-10-25T13:43:14Z")
[QUOTE=gatorslap] The moderator should’ve been Judge Judy. [/QUOTE] I saw the last ten minutes of the latest [del]argument[/del] debate, and thought the very same thing. Just a few of her favorite lines would have been helpful… Zip it! Baloney! I’m speaking. When my mouth moves, yours stops. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/91 "2012-10-30T14:40:08Z")
Mr. Spock…just to see if his eye brow would break from having to raise it so much. And to see if he would lose his voice from saying, “highly illogical” 4,722 times. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/92 "2012-10-30T21:28:40Z")
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