Bob Schieffer's Subdued Moderator Role In Final Presidential Debate 2012

Image From: Wikipedia

CBS News' Bob Schieffer played a muted role as a moderator during the final debate of 2012 Presidential elections that took place on Monday night in Boca Raton, Florida, with President Obamafacing off against Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney for the last time.

Schieffer had perhaps the most passive time of all the debate moderators in the 2012 campaign cycle! Jim Lehrer, who was criticized for his faltering and awkward efforts to manage the first debate, appeared to be more of an existence compared to Schieffer as he at least struggled to intrude more. Schieffer just felt like he had  disappeared for minutes at times during the debate.

Child in the village looks out his window toward the crooked clocktower by the sea. Sees a light. Whispers "He's back. Mr Schieffer is back"

— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) October 23, 2012

Schieffer started off the debate by asking a particularly complicated question on Libya and then he let the Republican presidential candidate react to Obama without disruption. He hardly ever interjected but still managed to maintain an approximately equivalent time between the two candidates.

Schieffer’s follow-up questions from the candidates did not seem to draw any noteworthy criticism or praise but in general, Schieffer's questions were a bit oblique and twisty.

Bob Schieffer's mental landscape is a rich tapestry of strange hypotheticals and ragtime music. "What if an omelet ate you?"

— Richard Lawson (@rilaws) October 23, 2012

Trouble came in calling for him when everything went a bit off-topic. Both the candidates started to pull the debate back to the domestic issues that voters are significantly focused on during the election. Schieffer seemed unable to move the conversation back to international issues for some minutes.

Uh-oh Bob Schieffer's been Lehrered.

— Emma Gilbey Keller (@emmagkeller) October 23, 2012

"Let me get us back to foreign policy," Schieffer finally said. Romney then interrupted him asking to retort to Obama's education criticism and Schieffer replied "OK."

"I want to try to shift it, because we have heard some of this in the other debates," Schieffer said of the debate.

However, Schieffer did manage to bring the discussion back to foreign policy, firmly, when Romney at one point tried to talk about a different topic!

There were moments when he really did try. When he asked Republican candidate Mitt Romney about possible defense budget cuts, he was told to visit Romney's website. See how Chris rock reacted to this:

Mitt Romney just answered Bob Schieffer's question by saying "Go on our website, it's explained there" Is this a joke? #debates #mockthevote

— Chris Rock (@chrisrockoz) October 23, 2012

He also pulled off calling Osama bin Laden "Obama bin Laden."

Oops! Schieffer confuses Obama and bin Laden. #debates #LynnDebate

— Karl Rove (@KarlRove) October 23, 2012

Apart from Schieffer’s muted role during the final presidential debate, he did get praise for asking about drones which had not emerged in any of the previous debates.

Check out what people are talking about Bob Schieffer on Twiter.

I am so #ProudofObama for not bowing to Bob Schieffer tonight.

— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) October 23, 2012

Did Bob Schieffer at the #debate just call somebody "Obama's Bin Laden?" Candy, you're off the hook

— Steve Doocy (@sdoocy) October 23, 2012

Am I going to be the only one to pose that Bob Schieffer won the #debate last night?

— casonSUPERSTAR (@casonSUPERSTAR) October 23, 2012

Would America tolerate Piers Morgan as a debate moderator? I think he would beat the pants off Schieffer (on life support) and get answers.

— Rory Kay (@rorykay) October 23, 2012

Just woke up. Dreamt that Bob Schieffer and I were on a magical Hawaiian honeymoon together.

— Dave Rubin (@RubinReport) October 23, 2012

Wait! What?@morning_joejust really say that Schieffer was the BEST moderator? Seriously?

—Seeker of the Truth (@Grtseeker) October 23, 2012

"@anncurry: Loved when Bob Schieffer quoted his mom: "Go vote, it makes you feel big and strong.""

— Leslie Rohrbacker (@IntroGrace) October 23, 2012

Schieffer says it was ok when convo moved from foreign policy; Some, like Stan McChrystal, think education is the basis of national security

— Sarah Boxer (@Sarah_Boxer) October 23, 2012