Romney, Obama to Crowley: No Follow-Up Questions

Moderator threatens to weigh in at town-hall debate
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 15, 2012 12:06 PM CDT
Romney, Obama to Crowley: No Follow-Up Questions
This June 2012 handout photo provided by CNN shows CNN anchor and chief political correspondent Candy Crowley.   (AP Photo/Edward M. Pio Roda, CNN)

The Obama and Romney campaigns finally agree on something: They don't want Candy Crowley asking them any pesky follow-up questions. Crowley is moderating tomorrow's debate, which is to be conducted town hall-style, with audience members asking the questions. But Crowley doesn't intend to just twiddle her thumbs. "Once the table is kind of set by the town hall questioner, there is then time for me to say, 'Hey, wait a second, what about X, Y, Z?'" she said in a recent interview.

But the campaigns say that doesn't jibe with their understanding of the agreement they signed with the Commission on Presidential Debates, and they're voicing concerns, Time reports. The agreement contains language saying the moderator "will not rephrase the question or open a new topic." But Crowley wasn't party to the negotiation, and has continued to indicate she'll aggressively follow-up. Joan Walsh at Salon, for one, thinks she should. "That's why she's there." Otherwise, she's just a "Lady Microphone-holder—a political Vanna White." (More Candy Crowley stories.)

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