DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 03: U.S. President Barack Obama (L) listens as Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) speaks during the Presidential Debate at the University of Denver as moderator Jim Lehrer looks on October 3, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. The first of four debates for the 2012 Election, three Presidential and one Vice Presidential, is moderated by PBS's Jim Lehrer and focuses on domestic issues: the economy, health care, and the role of government.
The former PBS anchor took heavy flak on social media for his light hand during Wednesday's debate. He asked general, open-ended questions and let the candidates go at it.
Lehrer said in an interview that it was a conscious effort to encourage a different kind of debate, one he said Monday will be looked back upon as a watershed. He said his only regret was not getting to more subjects, but he didn't want to do that at the price of ending good discussions.
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