CNN's Candy Crowley to moderate presidential debate – she and Carole Simpson explain the importance of female moderators

It's been 20 years since a woman moderated a presidential debate. Back in 1992, Carole Simpson made history as the first African-American female to moderate a presidential debate. And now our very own Candy Crowley, "State of the Union" host and CNN's chief political correspondent, will be moderating the second debate. She'll be moderating the town hall-style debate which will be held at Hofstra University on October 16.

This morning on "Starting Point," both Simpson and Crowley talk with Soledad about why it's important to have a female moderator for a presidential debate, and the historical nature of the election.

"Men and women are different," Simpson says. "We see things differently. We have different concerns. And particularly in this 2012 election, where there is talk among the candidates about Roe v. Wade and contraception and reproductive rights and personhood amendment, there are a lot of issues that concern women in a way that don't concern men. And so I thought it was particularly important that this year there be a woman that would be able to ask some of those questions that men might not find as important as we do."

Calling in by phone from vacation, Crowley tells Soledad she didn't realize the historical nature of the job when she learned about it, but was more focused on

"The first thing that went through my mind actually wasn't oh, wow, you know, I'm a female," Crowley says. "The first thing that went through my mind was, I'm a journalist, and this is so great. This is just such an opportunity and so few people get it. And I didn't honestly click in until people started saying, what does it feel like to be the first woman since Carole Simpson, who as she says is a dear friend. I've known Carole forever. So that's very fun. But I didn't actually think of the female part until later."

See a clip from Crowley's interview in the video above, and Simpson's segment is below.