# Muting the mics at the presidential debate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 26, 2024, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340 "2024-06-26T02:34:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/21 "2024-06-26T12:25:24Z")
Mic or no mic, he will never STFU. He’ll just keep on talking in an effort to get under Biden’s skin. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/22 "2024-06-26T12:26:13Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > What would you play? Weird Al? Stan and Josh Shmenge? Not only are the Shmenge’s from Eastern Europe, they are CANADIAN. And we’re not sending our best… ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/23 "2024-06-26T12:39:36Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > “You do realise you’re saying all that out loud?” NYT Breaking News: Biden uses British spelling when he talks, alarming voters Fox News: Is Sleepy Joe a traitor for using British spelling when he talks? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/24 "2024-06-26T12:58:14Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@Velocity](#): > > > > Trump could just yell loudly. > > I was thinking the same thing. They have to keep them pretty far apart to prevent that. Or special noise-canceling directional mics. Or lower the Cone Of Silence. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/25 "2024-06-26T13:10:27Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#): > > Is it too much to ask that trump has his muted the whole time? How about he’s just magically muted all the time? I’m seriously sick of the sound of his voice How about real-time closed captions for Trump? Sometimes they’re inaccurate and seem like gibberish, but how could you tell with Trump? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/26 "2024-06-26T15:33:15Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > How about real-time closed captions for Trump? At one point the captions just say “I QUIT” and stop. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/27 "2024-06-26T15:51:06Z")
If muted trump is close enough to be picked up on Joe’s mike, he’s just going to sound like the incoherent maniac he is. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/28 "2024-06-26T15:54:01Z")
As long as the “incoherent maniac” is able to disrupt Biden in any way, his followers will declare him to be the winner. “Incoherent maniac” is Trump’s baseline. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/29 "2024-06-26T16:13:34Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Or lower the Cone Of Silence. 👏 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/30 "2024-06-26T16:21:51Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@Atamasama](#): > > > > > [@Velocity](#): > > > > > > Trump could just yell loudly. > > > > I was thinking the same thing. They have to keep them pretty far apart to prevent that. Or special noise-canceling directional mics. > > Or lower the Cone Of Silence. Nooooo. If you remember, when they used the cone of silence they couldn’t hear each other, but WE could hear both of them. OTOH, what if we all get under one side and put Trump under the other side? \*even within the show, people outside the cone of silence could still communicate with people inside it. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/31 "2024-06-26T16:22:13Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > > [@Velocity](#): > > > > Trump could just yell loudly. > > I was thinking the same thing. They have to keep them pretty far apart to prevent that. Or special noise-canceling directional mics. Having Trump yelling about, even if the mics don’t pick it up, would be sufficiently off-putting for Biden to make him lose the thread of his argument, making him look senile. A win for Trump. So he’ll do it. Just like he towered menacingly above Hillary Clinton in the other debate. He felt that to be a win, and his voters gleefully agreed. And Fox News and similar manipulators will cut the scenes in the most unfavourable way for Biden, like they are already doing. The only chance for biden is Trump starts rambling about sharks and wets himself. So yes, there _is_ a chance. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/32 "2024-06-26T16:27:38Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Just like he towered menacingly above Hillary Clinton in the other debate. Now I’m half-expecting that Trump will stomp over to Biden’s podium and yell into that mike if his own is cut off. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/33 "2024-06-26T16:30:00Z")
I think that’s exactly why people are entertaining the idea that he’ll just yell louder if they cut him off. Either Biden’s (or the mod’s) mic will pick it up or he’ll distract Biden enough that he lashes out or starts making mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/34 "2024-06-26T16:30:53Z")
Glad someone asked about the muted mike situation. I was also wondering how that will be handled. > [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Just like he towered menacingly above Hillary Clinton in the other debate. Also, this ^^^. Are the two speakers supposed to stay behind their respective lecterns? Whatever the rules are, you can be sure trump will challenge and/or break them. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/35 "2024-06-26T16:37:09Z")
Why not having them in separate rooms? We will only see one at the time anyway and they could see each other on screen. Then when they are muted, they are really muted. No shouting or looming or physical attack. ---
**Author:** ![dasmoocher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/36 "2024-06-26T16:42:15Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I think that’s exactly why people are entertaining the idea that he’ll just yell louder if they cut him off. Either Biden’s (or the mod’s) mic will pick it up or he’ll distract Biden enough that he lashes out or starts making mistakes. Well, what we need is for Biden and Trump to be hooked up to an electrical shocking device like Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman used in testing ESP at the beginning of _Ghostbusters_. When someone gets out of order, Jake Tapper can zap them. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/37 "2024-06-26T16:42:56Z")
Unless there is a specific rule against it _and_ they enforce the rule, he will do it. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/38 "2024-06-26T16:46:06Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > What would you play? Weird Al? Stan and Josh Shmenge? “Oh, a pirate’s life is a wonderful life…” ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/39 "2024-06-26T16:50:20Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > Why not having them in separate rooms? We will only see one at the time anyway and they could see each other on screen. Then when they are muted, they are really muted. > No shouting or looming or physical attack. I can see Don the Con; face plastered to the glass wall, tiny fingers clawing at the enclosure, orange smears down the pane, noiselessly howling into the void - "Batteries! Sharks! Reduced flow! Flushing!..Hurricanes in Alabama… ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2024, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340/40 "2024-06-26T17:05:23Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > Having Trump yelling about, even if the mics don’t pick it up, would be sufficiently off-putting for Biden to make him lose the thread of his argument, making him look senile. I trustJoe will be ready for trumps usual assholishness. trump usually has his mikes making his volume for him. If he has to stand there and use lung power to make himself heard, he could very well hyperventilate. And it’s at night, so hopefully we’ll see some sun-downing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muting-the-mics-at-the-presidential-debate/1003340.md?page=3)