2012 Presidential Debates: Which Female Moderator Would You Select?

Which Female Debate Moderator Would You Select?
Open Image Modal

As the 2012 presidential election approaches convention season, some have been wondering who will moderate the upcoming presidential debates and if the Commission on Presidential Debates will appoint a woman for the job.

Though PBS' Gwen Ifill has moderated two recent vice presidential debates (one in 2004 and another in 2008), a woman has not moderated a presidential debate since former ABC News anchor Carole Simpson in 1992. Last week, Simpson talked to The Huffington Post about her strong desire for the Commission on Presidential Debates to select a female moderator. Simpson's call, which she repeated in an op-ed on Thursday, was spurred by three New Jersey high school students who started a petition earlier this year.

Who would you want to moderate an upcoming presidential debate? Take a look at the slideshow below and vote for your top choice:

Debate Moderator Contenders
Christiane Amanpour (CNN, ABC News)(01 of15)
Open Image Modal
Amanpour splits her time as global affairs anchor at ABC News and chief international correspondent at CNN, making her a great contender to moderate a presidential debate focused on foreign policy and national security.
Mika Brzezinski (MSNBC)(02 of15)
Open Image Modal
Brzezinksi hosts the network's morning show "Morning Joe," a program with a particular focus on political affairs. She moderates the "Morning Joe" roundtable daily, making her a clear contender to moderate a presidential debate.
Katie Couric(03 of15)
Open Image Modal
Though Couric left network news and is preparing for her dubt on the daytime television stage, the former "CBS Evening News" host has conducted a number of important political interviews, including a notorious sit down with former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Ann Curry(04 of15)
Open Image Modal
Curry spent 15 years on the "Today" show and now serves as a national and international correspondent for NBC News. Curry's preference in and talent for covering hard news makes her a candidate to moderate a presidential debate. (credit:Getty)
Savannah Guthrie (NBC)(05 of15)
Open Image Modal
Guthrie took over as co-host of "Today" last month and remained as the network's chief legal correspondent. Prior to joining "Today," she served as the network's White House correspondent and co-hosted a political news program on MSNBC.
Gwen Ifill (PBS)(06 of15)
Open Image Modal
Ifill moderated two vice presidential debates. In 2008, she moderated a debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. In 2004, she moderated the vice presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards. (credit:Getty)
Megyn Kelly (Fox News)(07 of15)
Open Image Modal
Kelly co-hosted Fox News' prime time coverage of the 2012 Republican primary race, and co-moderated a primary debate earlier this year. (credit:Getty)
Soledad O'Brien (CNN)(08 of15)
Open Image Modal
O'Brien hosts CNN's morning program, "Early Start," and hosted documentaries on race in America for the network.
Norah O'Donnell (CBS)(09 of15)
Open Image Modal
O'Donnell recently became "CBS This Morning's" third co-host. Before joining the morning show grind, O'Donnell served as the network's chief White House correspondent, making her a serious contender to moderate a presidential debate.
Rachel Maddow (MSNBC)(10 of15)
Open Image Modal
While Maddow has made her disdain for presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney quite clear, she hosted the network's prime time coverage of the 2012 Republican primary race.
Robin Roberts (ABC)(11 of15)
Open Image Modal
"Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts has conducted some big political interviews as of late, including the one with President Obama, when he made his historical announcement in support of same-sex marriage. (credit:Getty)
Diane Sawyer (ABC)(12 of15)
Open Image Modal
Sawyer hosts ABC News' nightly program "World News," and co-hosted a debate with George Stephanopoulos during the 2012 Republican primary race. She also served as a panelist during the 1984 presidential debate moderated by Barbara Walters. (credit:Getty)
Lesley Stahl (CBS)(13 of15)
Open Image Modal
Stahl has served as a longtime correspondent for "60 Minutes," and covered the White House for decades prior. She has more than proven her journalistic chops. (credit:Getty)
Greta Van Susteren (Fox News)(14 of15)
Open Image Modal
Van Sustern hosts her own nightly prime time show, and has conducted some of the network's highest profile interviews with GOP presidential nominees during the 2012 primary race.
Barbara Walters (ABC)(15 of15)
Open Image Modal
Walters has hosted two presidential debates in the past. She moderated a 1984 debate between President Reagan and former Vice President Walter Mondale. Before that, she moderated a 1974 debate between Gerald Fold and Jimmy Carter. (credit:Getty)

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost