Journalist Carole Simpson discusses why it’s important for the 2012 presidential debate season to feature a woman moderator, based on her experiences moderating the 1992 presidential debate. To date, Simpson, who is leader-in-residence at Emerson College, is the only woman to have moderated a presidential debate, and she says having a female moderator is key this year. “It is so critical that this presidential debate season have a female moderator because there are so many issues affecting women that have come up: contraception, Planned Parenthood, abortion, transvaginal ultrasounds … and the repeal of the affordable health care act. Those are all issues that concern women, involve women, and are issues that I think only a woman could ask the questions that need to be asked of the candidates about what they’re planning to do about those things,” Simpson tells Granholm.
