• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 13, 2012

After retiring from his lead role at the PBS “NewsHour,” Jim Lehrer figured he wouldn’t moderate another presidential debate. So he wrote a book, “Tension City,” offering opinions and an inside perspective on the job.  

He might not have done so if he had known he would be called on again this fall to referee the first debate between President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney focusing on domestic policy Oct. 3 in Denver. Lehrer will choose the topics.

There will be no competing “Monday Night Football” game on ESPN that evening, but there will be on Oct. 22 during the final Obama-Romney meeting. That game will feature Obama’s hometown Chicago Bears. All debates will run from 9 p.m.-10:30 EST.

Americans will watch a debate a week from Oct. 3-22 with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz moderating a vice presidential faceoff, and CNN’s Candy Crowley and CBS News’ Bob Schieffer refereeing the final two between Obama and Romney.

The second presidential debate on Long Island will have Obama and Romney working the room in a town meeting-style setting. Their final get-together will focus on foreign policy and be held in South Florida.

No debates will conflict with World Series games, although the baseball playoffs could still provide competition.