Procedure and House Affairs committee  I think it is something that you should definitely look at; it may well be the right way to go. In this country, I think it would have been problematic. Perhaps the single reason that it would be the most problematic is that Congress, for the most part, is a partisan organizatio

Procedure and House Affairs committee  They can see it that way until they understand that in return for the donation that anyone is making to us, they get nothing. They get no access to the campaigns or the candidates, and they get no input on any of our decisions, so there is no conflict. In fact, it is remarkable t

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. It's very broad. Academic institutions see the value because, needless to say, it is bringing a historic event to their campuses that hundreds if not thousands of their students can volunteer in and have an opportunity that they would never have otherwise. They certainly see

Procedure and House Affairs committee  There were three presidential and one vice-presidential.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That's correct.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Simply, I think “commission” is actually a really lovely word, but in most countries, and certainly in this country, I think it implies that there has been an official commission given to a person or an entity. In this country, it leads people to assume that we are congressionall

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It's not—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  If we go to someone and say that we were wondering if they would like to support our educational work, or the work that is involved in putting on the debates, and they ask why they would need to do that because we are federally funded and obviously federally chartered, it's simpl

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. I am not saying that it's a bad thing. I think if we're—

Procedure and House Affairs committee  That would be a big question. It would be one that the board would have to consider very carefully. It wouldn't be that easy. We are a legal entity. For Congress to come and say that would be a totally de novo issue that would have to be addressed. I am not saying that I think i

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I don't know. That's a very complicated question. One would have to sit down and try to figure out the responsible way to answer it. Our commitment is to make sure the debates happen. Very early in our first year, I had reason to be in the office of a very senior United States s

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, I know. It's sad.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  He turned to his House colleague and said, “You know, the American public doesn't give a”—blank, blank—“who sponsors them. They just want to know they will happen.” There was silence for a few seconds after that, while we all tried not to giggle or feign offence. It was a cogent