Debate moderator Charlie Gibson on Bush: "[T]ies go to the president"

On ABC's Good Morning America on October 11, Diane Sawyer asked her co-anchor Charlie Gibson, moderator of the second presidential debate, about the point during that debate in which President George W. Bush repeatedly interrupted Gibson. Sawyer asked, “A lot of people were asking about the moment, the president did seem very aggressive and coming at you a little bit to get his point across. Did it feel that way?” Gibson replied, “Well, ties go to the president. He was going to make his point, and so you have to back off and let him.”

From the exchange during the October 8 debate (video here):

GIBSON: Mr. President, let's extend for a minute --

BUSH: Let me just -- I've got to answer this.

GIBSON: Exactly. And with reservists being held on duty --

[crosstalk]

BUSH: Let me answer what he just said, about around the world.

GIBSON: Well, I want to get into the issue of the back-door draft --

BUSH: You tell [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair we're going alone.