Continuing our coverage of the 2008 election debates, the entire ThinkProgress team — including the Wonk Room and Matt Yglesias — will be liveblogging tonight’s debate (beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET at Belmont University) and the media’s post-event commentary.
Tonight’s debate will be in a “town hall” format. Some of the debate guidelines:
–The questions will be culled from a group of 100 to 150 uncommitted likely voters in the audience and another one-third to come via the Internet. Brokaw selects which questions to ask from written queries submitted prior to the debate.
–The Gallup Organization makes sure the questioners reflect the demographic makeup of the nation.
–An audience member isn’t allowed to switch questions and will not be allowed a follow-up either. His or her microphone will be turned off after the question is read and a camera shot will only be shown of the person asking — not reacting.
–The moderator may not ask followups or make comments.
–McCain and Obama will be provided with director’s chairs, but they’re also allowed to stand. They can’t roam past their “designated area” marked on the stage and are not supposed to ask each other direct questions.
Update
Ben Smith notes Brokaw never agreed to abstain from follow-up questions, so the campaigns are now expecting that there will be follow-up questions from him.
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