Politics & Government

Third and Final Presidential Debate Monday Night

A rundown of the format and discussion topics.

Tonight—Monday, Oct. 22—the 2012 presidential debates wrap up with a face-to-face meeting between President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL.

The 90-minute debate, the last of three between the Democratic and Republican nominees for president, will begin at 9 p.m. ET and last approximately 90 minutes. It will be broadcast simultaneously on multiple networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, Fox, and Fox News. Univision will also carry the broadcast translated into Spanish in real time.

Tonight's debate focuses on foreign affairs and will consist of six time segments of approximately 15 minutes each on topics selected by moderator Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News. Those subjects—announced earlier this month—are:

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  • America's role in the world
  • Our longest war: Afghanistan and Pakistan
  • Red Lines: Israel and Iran
  • The Changing Middle East and the New Face of Terrorism (two questions)
  • The Rise of China and Tomorrow's World

Schieffer will open each segment with a question, allow the candidates two minutes apiece to respond, and then use the remainder of the time for a more open discussion of the topic.

Monday's debate falls just 15 days before Election Day (Nov. 6).

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Laurel residents: will you be watching tonight's debate? Where from? What are you looking to hear from either candidate? Let us know in the comments.

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