2012 Presidential Debate Moderators: What to expect from Bob Schieffer and Mixed Reviews from Both Sides

With the third and final presidential debate about to take place, reactions about the moderating of each debate has come under heavy criticism.

CBS' Bob Schieffer will be in the hot seat tonight as he moderated the third and final debate just two weeks before the election.

In an interview with the Palm Beach Post on Sunday, Schieffer talked about how he will moderate the debate.

"I pose a question, each candidate has two minutes to respond, and then a general discussion for the rest of the segment," he said. "I think it would be great if I could pose a question and the two men could answer and the other guy says 'That can't be right,' and they get into it. I wouldn't intervene in that because they would be expanding the discussion. If it gets off topic, I won't hesitate to say, "Can we get back on subject?" I've got a loose-leaf binder of questions I've been working on for five weeks that's about three inches thick. We probably won't get to all of them. In those 15 minute segments, they're free to ask each other questions and if they do it will be terrific."

For the 12th time, PBS' Jim Lehrer moderated a presidential debate. Lehrer's moderating style came under fire as it appeared as though both candidates pushed him over.

On Twitter, Lehrer accounted for two moments that generated the most discussion - when Lehrer quips "Let's not" when GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney requests a topic and when President Obama quips "I had 5 seconds" when Lehrer gives time limit.

Al Roker tweeted, "I hope Jim Lehrer gets the license plate of the truck that drove over him in this debate."

And a parody account @SilentJimLehrer was created.

"Crazy that Lehrer thinks any of these answers will come in under 15 mins given how broad the questions are," MSNBC's Alex Wagner tweeted.

I personally do not know who won this debate," Rachel Maddow said on MSNBC. "I do believe that we saw this debate format die a very painful death on camera tonight ... the format and, I think, the moderator, honestly, with all due respect to Jim Lehrer."

The Commission on Presidential Debates defended Lehrer saying that he "implemented the format exactly as it was designed by the CPD and announced in July."

Lehrer defended himself and said part of his mission "was to stay out of the way of the flow" and that he "had no problems with doing so."

"I thought the format accomplished its purpose, which was to facilitate direct, extended exchanges between the candidates about issues of substance," Lehrer said. "My only real personal frustration was discovering that ninety minutes was not enough time in that more open format to cover every issue that deserved attention."

ABC's Martha Raddatz's moderated the only vice presidential debate between VP Joe Biden and Congressman Paul Ryan. She got good reviews for the most part.

"Watching her moderate that debate with, oh my God, editorial authority!" Jon Stewart said. "Especially after the previous debate where Jim Lehrer felt his job was simply to establish there were two people on stage."

"I vote for Martha Raddatz to moderate all the debates," Roger Ebert tweeted.

"Martha Raddatz is no joke," tweeted CNN anchor Don Lemon. "Following up and in charge."

"Martha Raddatz is not messing around," tweeted CNN contributor Roland Martin. "You hear that Jim Lehrer? She ain't allowing filibustering!'

"Martha Raddatz is the worst moderator ever," Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity tweeted. "Maybe next time Paul Ryan should invite her to his wedding."

Raddatz's appearance was heavily criticized as a conflict of interest because Obama was a guest at her wedding in 1991.

CNN's Candy Crowley moderated the second presidential debate and while she got mostly good reviews, came under fire for fact-checking Romney.

Crowley appeared to be defending Obama when the two candidates argued over the administration's handling of last month's attack in Libya that killed four Americans.

Fox's Bill O'Reilly said Crowley "helped the president... when she should have stayed neutral."

Ann Coulter tweeted, "Obama (and Candy) lied, our ambassador died: No, Obama Didn't Call Benghazi "Act of Terror" in Speech."

Fox News Channel commentator Tucker Carlson said, "Her many friends in the press will claim otherwise, but honestly when was the last time you saw someone do a worse job moderating a debate."

Conservatives also criticized Crowley for allowing Obama to speak four minutes longer than Romney, according to a CNN clock.

In an email obtained by TMZ, CNN's managing editor praised Crowley.

"The reviews on Candy's performance have been overwhelmingly positive but Romney supporters are going after her on two points, no doubt because their man did not have as good a night as he had in Denver," the email said. "On the legitimacy of Candy fact-checking Romney on Obama's Rose Garden statement, it should be stressed that she was just stating a point of fact: Obama did talk about an act (or acts) of terror, no matter what you think he meant by that at the time. On why Obama got more time to speak, it should be noted that Candy and her commission producers tried to keep it even but that Obama went on longer largely because he speaks more slowly. We're going to do a word count to see whether, as in Denver, Romney actually got more words in even if he talked for a shorter period of time."