A secret memo controls the rules of the presidential debates - should it?

News Type: Event — Seeded on Tue Oct 14, 2008 1:01 PM EDT

Article Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

There is a confidential agreement between presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. Its secret contents control a critical aspect of the upcoming election.

This isn't the plot for novelist Dan Brown's next thriller, but rather the true story of the 2008 presidential debates. The McCain and Obama campaigns have negotiated and signed a 31-page memorandum of understanding. This document governs every aspect of the presidential debates, from speaking times to follow-up questions.