Jim Lehrer: Hold Your Applause—Or Else

Debate moderator Jim Lehrer kicked off the evening by sternly warning the audience at the University of Mississippi to behave themselves at tonight’s event.

“We’re trying a new format here…it’s going to require my absolute concentration. I don’t want to worry about anyone cheering or hollering or making any noise behind me,” he said. “There’s going to be an understandable natural tendency to cheer, hiss, boo or whatever—don’t do it.”

Lehrer noted that John McCain’s wife, Cindy, and Barack Obama’s wife, Michelle, are seated on opposite sides of the hall and would help enforce the quiet policy.

“I don’t want to be difficult about it, but I will be hard about it,” Lehrer said, adding that pictures are forbidden and as for cell phones. “Turn them off!” he shouted. “This is not a competing pep rally.”

Lehrer said that millions of people are tuning in for the debate and it could likely help decide the next president. “This has to be a credible process, this has to be a credible debate,” he said, “It not only has to appear to be fair, it has to be fair, and it’s my job to do that.”

There will be 10, nine-minute segments in tonight’s debate. The candidates will have an opportunity to question each other.

Source:The Wall Street Journal

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