Candidates Square Up For Televised Debate

It's a closed set at Channel 5. News media have been relegated to the reception area, while the four Democratic candidates for Senate face a moderator and cameras for Tuesday night's debate. It's the third televised face-off — others included the October debate at the JFK Library and an evening forum on WGBH.

Unlike other live debates, this one has no in-studio audience. Just the candidates, the moderator and the unblinking eyes of a few television cameras. The controlled setting might lead to a more tightly scripted and well-behaved debate than people might like to see this late in the race. We'll see.