2012 Debates: Third Presidential Debate (Foreign Policy)

Tonight's third and final presidential debate will get underway at 9pm from Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida. This will be the first debate featuring a sit down format (like the vice presidential debate) and will focus on foreign policy issues. Bob Schieffer of CBS News will moderate and has chosen the following topic areas to cover this evening:

• 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 - I
• The Changing Middle East and the New Face of Terrorism - II
• The Rise of China and Tomorrow's World

The format tonight is similar to the first debate in that a broad question will be asked, the candidates will have two minutes each to respond and then the discussion will continue for the remainder of the 15 minute block set aside for each "pod". Mr. Schieffer will have the opportunity to follow up as Martha Raddatz did in the vice presidential debate. Jim Lehrer had that same power in the first debate as well, but gave the candidates more latitude.

The same rules apply as last week. Feel free to weigh in with comments and other observations in comments section. I'll pop over periodically respond, but I'll be most active on Twitter (@FHQ). Feel free to follow along there using the hashtag #fhqdebate.

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