It was impossible to say how many voters were swayed by the campaign's sole face-to-face debate, but each side was quick to claim victory.

Legal debates can take many forms, and do not necessarily need to be face-to-face debates.

But the Bush campaign, which likes the way it is handling the daily debate of television images, does not want too many face-to-face debates.

He said he would accept Mr. Blair's challenge to face-to-face televised debates, a first in British politics.

But as the two men meet this morning for their first face-to-face debate, there are indications that the dynamic is changing.

A face-to-face, man-to-man debate, unsullied by preening moderators determined to prove their toughness and boost ratings, would almost have to focus on policy.

That was the central question last week as the four Democratic candidates for mayor met in their first face-to-face debate.

They had one face-to-face debate, on America's China policy, and she won hands down.

This removed the anticipated drama of a face-to-face debate between representatives of the securities and futures industries.

The six to ten people ideally taking part in such face-to-face debates should be in a conference room environment which is isolated from outside interruptions.