2012 Debates

There were three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate during the 2012 general election.


Courtesy Mark Abraham

GO TO:

October 3

October 11
(Vice Presidential)

October 16

October 22


General Election Presidential Debate

Barack Obama (D), President and
Mitt Romney (R), Former Massachusetts Governor

Date: October 3, 2012

Location: University of Denver

City: Denver, Colorado

Time: 9:00 – 10:30pm Eastern

Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates

Moderator: Jim Lehrer, PBS

Topic: Domestic Policy

Viewership: 67.2 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format: 90-minute debate with candidates standing at podiums. Divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes, with topics selected and announced beforehand by the moderator. Each segment opened with a question, after which each candidate had two minutes to respond. The moderator used the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

Pool coverage provided by: ABC

Transcript

Video

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Vice Presidential Debate

Joe Biden (D), Vice President and
Paul Ryan (R), Member, United States House of Representatives (WI)

Date: October 11, 2012

Location: Centre College

City: Danville, Kentucky

Time: 9:00 – 10:30 Eastern

Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates

Moderator: Martha Raddatz, ABC

Topic: All Topics

Viewership: 51.4 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format: 90-minute debate with candidates seated at table with moderator. Divided into nine segments of approximately 10 minutes each. Each segment opened with a question, after which each candidate had two minutes to respond. The moderator used the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

Pool coverage provided by:  CNN

Transcript

Video

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General Election Presidential Debate

Barack Obama (D), President and
Mitt Romney (R), Former Massachusetts Governor

Date: October 16, 2012

Location: Hofstra University

City: Hempstead, NY

Time: 9:00 – 10:30pm Eastern

Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates

Moderator: Candy Crowley, CNN

Topic: All Topics

Viewership: 65.6 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format: 90-minute town hall meeting debate. Candidates questioned by uncommitted voters from Nassau County, NY identified by the Gallup Organization. Candidates each had two minutes to respond, and an additional two minutes for the moderator to facilitate a discussion.

Pool coverage provided by:  FOX

Transcript

Video

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General Election Presidential Debate

Barack Obama (D), President and
Mitt Romney (R), Former Massachusetts Governor

Date: October 22, 2012

Location: Lynn University

City: Boca Raton, FL

Time: 9:00 – 10:30pm Eastern

Sponsor: Commission on Presidential Debates

Moderator: Bob Schieffer, CBS

Topic: Foreign Policy

Viewership: 59.2 million (Data provided by Nielsen Media Research)

Format: 90-minute debate with candidates seated at table with moderator. Divided into six time segments of approximately 15 minutes, with topics selected and announced beforehand by the moderator. Each segment opened with a question, after which each candidate had two minutes to respond. The moderator used the balance of the time in the segment for a discussion of the topic.

Pool coverage provided by:  ABC

Transcript

Video

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