Q: We're here with Bob Schieffer, he's the author of the new book Bob Schieffer's America, those fabulous essays that you see on the show, and some special treats there. You write about the debates, Bob -- are you looking forward to anchoring the final debate of this season?

Schieffer: You know, I really am. They have been so good so far. I mean, you know, the vice presidential debate -- never has there been so much attention focused on a vice presidential debate as the one between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. I thought they got off to a very good start, [Barack] Obama and [John] McCain. And this race is so close. It might go right down to that last debate. I mean, this could be the tipping point, so I hope we can have a really good discussion. I think the voters deserve that, and I'll do what I can to facilitate that.

Q: What did you think about the criticism about Gwen Ifill writing a book with Obama's name in the title?

Schieffer: You know, I thought that was a little bit of a bad rap. I mean -- and all I know about this is what I've literally read in the papers, but it's my understanding this book is still in manuscript. It hasn't even been set in type yet. She's about in the middle of it and as it was explained to me, this is not a book about Barack Obama; it's a book about black politicians and the gains they have made in recent years. So I thought that was a little bit of an unfair charge against her.

Q: What advice did you give Tom Brokaw? He's going to be moderating his first debate on Tuesday.

Schieffer: Well, I haven't given Tom any advice.

[Laughter]

Schieffer: I think Tom is a grown person. He's a very good friend of mine and I think he'll handle it just fine. His is going to be a town hall meeting down in Nashville, and they will take questions from the audience. Those are always interesting. The one I'm doing on the 15th, Tammy, we'll have them both seated at the same table with me. This will be the more intimate debate, as it were. It'll be interesting because, you remember, John McCain and Barack Obama didn't look at each other very much during that first debate with [Jim] Lehrer when they were behind podiums, well, McCain especially. I think it's going to be interesting to see the body language when they're seated at the same table.

Q: What is the scariest part -- or I should ask the most difficult part of moderating one of these debates? Is it deciding whether or not to go to the next question or to stay with the one you have? I mean, literally, you understand that this is the most important moment. Your debate will be the most-watched debate, no doubt.

Schieffer: I think [laughter] I moderated the last debate in 2004, and about a week before the debate I had this awful dream and I woke up in a cold sweat. I dreamed that the debate was half over and I'd run out of questions.

[Laughter]

Schieffer: So I'm going to make darn sure that I have at least three times as many questions as can possibly be asked. And, you know, what is good about the debates this time, Tammy -- and we've never had this before -- we'll divide them into nine 10-minute segments. That's what I'll do in the last debate. I'll decide what the topics will be to talk about in each segment and then I will pose the question to each of them, and then my hope is -- and I'll try to goad them into it if they don't do it or force them into it if I possibly can -- to question one another rather than have the moderator raising the questions. I mean, I think it'd be terrific if I could pose a question and they went at each other for 10 minutes and you didn't hear from me until I said, "Gentlemen, it's time to move on to the next topic." We'll see if that happens, but that's clearly the broad goal that I've set for this.

Q: Bob, if someone as big as you came forward after this year and said to the debate commission, said to America, said to all the networks, all the important players in the debate process, "Hey, we've got to change this," you could have a change! Would you consider doing that?

Schieffer: Well, what would you want to change?

Q: Well, just to do the debate you're talking about and you have planned the last debate but do that for each meeting. Or even have more.

Schieffer: Well, I'd like to see more, quite frankly. I'd like to see more. That's the main thing I would like to see. That's the rule that we've set out for this debate -- these debates this year that have the nine 10-minute segments. Now they had only five-minute segments at the vice presidential debate last time because they claim that both campaigns wanted a chance to talk about more subjects. But I think it's a very good thing and I think Obama and McCain were a little leery of this in the beginning. You know, at one point Jim Lehrer had to say, "Say it to him, don't say it to me." And I think as they got into it they became more comfortable with it. But we'll see what happens here. I'm going to do my best to make it happen that way.

Q: How effective do you think Sarah Palin's direct gaze into the eyes of the American people was?

Schieffer: Well, I think she came off very well. I think the expectations were so low, a lot of people expected her to make just some enormous blunder, which clearly she did not. So I think she sort of rehabilitated herself in a funny kind of way from some of those interviews she had given earlier in the week to Katie Couric when she seemed to have trouble expressing herself on just a variety of issues. She came on pretty strong last night. I frankly think that Joe Biden won on points. He seemed very comfortable. It was clear he'd discussed these issues and was familiar with everything he was talking about. So I thought Joe Biden came off very well. But I think she helped herself a lot. I really do.

Q: The New York Times this week reported that "Meet the Press" is considering a rotating anchor. What do you think of that?

Schieffer: I'm going to let NBC make up their -- run their business. You know, I might give them some ideas, Tammy, and they might work!

[Laughter]

Q: Do you miss...

Schieffer: I love those guys, but they're my competitors.

Q: I was going to say, do you miss Tim?

Schieffer: I miss him more than I could ever say. You know, we were very close friends. We went to a lot of baseball games together and we talked to each other a lot and we've known each other over the years. And, you know, if there was one person that liked politics more than I do, it was probably ol' Tim Russert, and I'm just sorry he, you know, didn't get to see this one to conclusion. Every time I saw Tim, he would say to me, "Can you believe this campaign?" And he was loving every minute of it, as I am. And I miss him a lot.

Q: Bob, how many questions do you have on your list for the debate now?

Schieffer: Well, I'll have more than I could ever possibly use.

Q: Darn! We're not going to get the number out of him. Bob Schieffer, I love your new book, Bob Schieffer's America. If you enjoy the essays on air, believe me, you'll enjoy this. Thanks for being with us.

Schieffer: Thank you, Tammy.