Carole Simpson

The Vice Presidential debate took place Thursday night live in Danville, Kentucky. Brian Lehrer reconveneed his (Mostly) Swing State Radio Network, and was joined by former moderator Carole Simpson of ABC, and PBS' Jim Lehrer, host of this year's first debate.

Listen here: 

We also live chatted with Anna Sale, our swing state colleagues and the politically diverse It's A Free Country bloggers for a witty, communal and informative experience. Watch the debate and read the transcript below!

In 1992, former ABC anchor Carole Simpson became the first woman to moderate a presidential debate. There hasn't been another female moderator since. That'll change later this year, but Simpson says that even this year, women moderators are confined to the vice presidential debate and a town-hall style debate where the moderator can't ask questions of their own. Brooke talks with Simpson about what women moderators might add to debates. 

Kelley Stoltz - Little Girl

Carole Simpson, former ABC news anchor for World News Tonight, former presidential debate moderator, and author of NewsLady, talks about becoming the first woman and minority moderator of a presidential debate when she questioned George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot in 1992.

It's been 20 years since a presidential debate was moderated by a woman. Why is that? What does the Commission on Presidential Debates look for in a moderator?