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Would it be a question and answer session with follow-up, or should the debaters just --?

Oh, a lot of my original concerns were related to the fact that you had only three trunk lines across the country. Forget that you've got as many channels now as you want. So, my concerns about being forced into a straitjacket in terms of, not technique, as much as format and style. Those concerns are less troublesome today because you can go from talk shows to breakfast shows, if the candidates are willing. And they found out there's an audience out there that will help them. I don't think we need to worry about that anymore. If you have what is called debates, and they're formalized as debates, I wouldn't have journalists, I would have a distinguished moderator say, “Tonight the issue is health care. The two candidates are here with me in the studio. No audience. They're going to talk about the thing, we've flipped a coin, and Senator Jones is going to lead off on what he thinks about it, and Senator or Governor Smith will join in, as the opportunity presents itself.”

Now, the critics of that technique have said to me, “Oh, well, some guy will hog the microphone.” I say nonsense. Anybody who's running for the office of President isn't going to do that kind of a thing in the first place, and in the second place, he's smart enough to know that if he does, it'll work against him with the public. So, they're going to be very careful about how they treat each other in front of the camera. I think they'll throw more light on the issue by that technique, than by having journalists asking questions, if you can't have follow-up. And, anyway, so many journalist's questions are pretty goddamned stupid questions. They would be just as stupid if they were done by politicians -- I'm not picking on journalists -- but if you had two candidates for the office -- now, this doesn't address itself to the third candidate -- but if you had two candidates. They know the