Before the Gore and Bush camps even entered the picture, however, the commission labored over the basic structure of the debates, beginning with dates and locations.

In addition to tonight's Boston debate, Gore and Bush will meet Oct. 11 in Winston-Salem, N.C. and Oct. 17 in St. Louis. The vice presidential candidates will debate in Danville, Ky. on Thursday.

The commission decided that in tonight's debate, the candidates would be allotted two minutes for their responses, with one minute for rejoinders. In all debates, the moderator is given "discretion to extend discussion," according to the commission's website.

The commission negotiated different formats for each debate: standing for tonight's encounter, a seated format for the second as well as for the vice-presidential contest and a relaxed, town-meeting format with questions from citizens for the third.

These formats will "provide for a more open and free-flowing exchange of views than in years past," the commission's website said.

After the main questions were settled, other no less weighty matters remained--like which candidate gets to walk onstage first.

Such decisions are so arbitrary that, "much like an athletic challenge [they] are decided by the flip of a coin," Scardino said.

With the rules decided, Gore and Bush must now play the game tonight. Tonight's debate will go a long way towards determining the biggest detail of all: who takes home the prize next month.