Episode Details

What happens in the ten minutes before a political debate goes live? Apparently, a lot of frantic note-taking.

WPXI anchor Lisa Sylvester joins Brian Carothers the day after co-moderating Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial debate between Josh Shapiro and Stacy Garrity. She takes us inside the studio: the rehearsals, negotiated rules, questions that never made it to air, and why there was no time-limit bell.

They also revisit the Oz–Fetterman debate, discuss Shapiro’s potential presidential ambitions, campaign money, and how moderators give voters a fair look at both candidates.

Then it’s back to Pittsburgh: newsroom bloopers, covering difficult news, and the wonderfully unscripted people who give WPXI its best sound bites.

Contains occasional strong language.