Cain/Gingrich Lincoln-Douglas debate tonight on C-SPAN

Businessman Herman Cain and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich agreed to participate in a Lincoln-Douglas style debate which will air live tonight on C-SPAN. The debate is being broadcast as part of a Texas Tea Party Patriots PAC fundraiser.

Air Time: Saturday, November 5 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on C-SPAN

Live Stream: C-SPAN (Starting 8pm ET / 5pm PT)

Report from C-SPAN:

GOP presidential candidates Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich engage in a 90 minute debate hosted by the Texas Tea Party PAC. There is no moderator and the two candidates discuss and respond to each other’s positions on domestic policy in The Woodlands, TX.

The debate is divided into three parts, with each part focusing on one entitlement program – Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

In previous media-moderated debates, Gingrich said repeatedly that should he be the GOP nominee, he would challenge President Obama to Lincoln-Douglas style debates.

Cain has risen in the polls recently with his 9-9-9 tax plan, but the media has focused this week on two previous settlements with women alleging he sexual harassed them while he lead the National Restaurant Association.

The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series of three-hour debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas during the 1858 Illinois Senate race. In the format, one candidate would start with a 60 minute statement, and his opponent would get 90 minutes to respond. The first speaker then got a 30 minute rebuttal. The two candidates took turns speaking first.

Looking forward to watching this broadcast since it will let Cain and Gingrich go much more in depth on each topic.


Nate Ashworth

The Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for over a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016 that continues today.

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