Following the release of the official 'memorandum of understanding'—the agreement signed by both the Romney and Obama campaigns that governs the presidential and vice presidential debates—critics say the document reveals the contrived nature of the nationally televised forums and highlights how the Commission on Presidential Debates has come to gain 'monopoly-like' control over what should be a more open and democratic process.

Time magazine's political correspondent Mark Halperin obtained the document (see below) and released it Monday, making it the fourth time that a version of the otherwise secretly negotiated document has been leaked to a member of the press during an election season.