Crowley, Lehrer, Raddatz and Schieffer to moderate presidential debates

Candy Crowley, the chief political correspondent for CNN and anchor of CNN's State of the Union, will become the first woman in 20 years to moderate a U.S. presidential debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday.

Crowley, the first female moderator since ABC's Carole Simpson moderated a town hall-style question session with Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush, said she was "wowed, amazed and excited by the opportunity to moderate a 2012 presidential debate." Three teenage girls in New Jersey led a petition drive that gathered 170,000 signatures asking the commission to select a female moderator.

The commission cited only the extensive moderating expertise of the chosen journalists, who also include PBS NewsHour Executive Editor Jim Lehrer, moderator of the most debates of any journalist (10), Bob Schieffer, chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, and Martha Raddatz, senior foreign affairs correspondent for ABC News, who will conduct the sole debate between vice-presidential candidates Paul Ryan and Joe Biden.

Here is the schedule of the televised debates, all of which will be held from 9 -- 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Oct. 3, Denver: Lehrer will moderate the first presidential debate between President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney, which will focus on domestic policy.

Oct. 11, Danville, Ky.: Raddatz will conduct the debate on foreign and domestic issues between Vice President Joe Biden and Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan.

Oct. 16, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY: Crowley will conduct the second, town meeting-style debate in which undecided voters can question the presidential candidates on both foreign and domestic issues.

Oct. 22, Boca Raton Fl.: Schieffer will moderate the foreign policy debate between Obama and Romney.