The problem is that if they are too strict, some candidates might not be willing to debate. They candidates want to see in control, not be overruled by someone with a louder voice. It makes sense to use someone with political experience whom the candidates know. But they don’t need to be so easily talked over.
Chuck Barris-style gong?
Maxwell Smart-style Cone of Silence?
Or a shot clock.
Hello, America! I am the housefly that perched atop Mike Pence’s head for two solid minutes during Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate, and I’d like to talk to you about the future of this great nation. Like some of you, I was undecided when I began watching the debate, because, as with some of you, my brain is the size of a poppyseed. But when I heard Mike Pence outline the Trump administration’s plans, I knew there was only one ticket I could trust to protect me and the 150 or so eggs I laid in the vice president’s hair. Today I am thrilled to wholeheartedly endorse Donald J. Trump for president.
You may be confused as to why I am offering an endorsement in the first place, since most Americans share molecular physicist Seth Brundle’s pernicious misconception that “insects don’t have politics.” It’s true that we’re not big on compromise, but it’s also true that we love garbage, and we love corpses, and we love shit, and you don’t have to have one of those big ugly mammalian brains to tell which political party is committed to materially improving our lives. No president in my life cycle—which began two weeks ago, when I was a maggot happily gnawing my way through a rotten Egg McMuffin in a dumpster behind Kingsbury Hall—has done more to roll back environmental regulations, ensuring that my family and I have a constant supply of garbage where we can live, laugh, and love. No president in my life cycle has provided more dead Americans for us to eat, working tirelessly to overwhelm hospitals and morgues, presumably for our benefit. And no administration in history, never mind my life cycle, has been as dedicated to shit in all its forms—bullshit, horseshit, and of course the literal shit that inevitably accompanies a diet of fast food and Diet Coke—pumping it into the airwaves, the sewers, and the skulls of their supporters.
Better as a debater, better as a candidate, or better as an actual VP?
If the source was Ann Coulter, does it really matter? (a koan for our time…)
I thought the moderator did what she could. What’s she supposed to do? I say just switch off the goddamned mics. When it’s Harris’ question, her mic is on a two minute timer, and Pence’s is off. And vice versa. If a candidate wants to really shout in front of a mic that ain’t on to be a jag, let the world see him try.
What’s she supposed to do? How about asking, in the form of a question, “The next question is for Vice President Pence: why are you unable to stop talking when you are told? You say you’re in favor of law and order, so why can’t you obey even this very simple rule?”
Why is it that I, a total nobody, have better ideas about how to moderate a debate, than the people who actually moderate the debates?
Candidates debate because it’s free publicity.
That’s cool. I favor the dead mic approach.
They can get publicity in a lot of different places, though. Maybe they want to debate but only if they can control the terms - lots of different media groups would like the gravitas of hosting a big debate. Whatever Trump says will be reported by the mainstream media. There is a reason he is going to hold a rally on The Rush Limbaugh show.
Missed this item, they are sold out.
Two hours later, the Biden campaign website was peddling $10 “Truth Over Flies” swatters.
And within a few hours more, a campaign spokesperson said, the nearly 35,000 swatters had sold out.
No. With few exceptions, the villains in that one are mostly pretty competent.
Then there’s the
I still advocate the suggestion I made somewhere (perhaps previously in this very thread). Make the rules hard and fast – unavoidable, signed in the candidates own blood.
Then the rules are simple, the first three (or five) times you have to be told to quit talking you get a warning – no real consequence. If the moderator admonishes you and you still don’t shut up you get two warnings. After say, six warnings – your opponent gets five uninterrupted minutes to speak on whatever topic they choose. Then the debate resumes. If you get two additional warnings you are asked to leave the stage and the opposition continues alone on stage (on all those networks!) for the remaining time.
This version would have worked well with Pence, for Trump you would have to double or triple the number of freebies up front. You could get him to agree to it if he thinks he can go right to the brink with no consequence (so he is getting something for nothing) but then he will not shut up and be asked to leave. Or he will shut up and play by the rules, either way a win.
No no no. Pence left the fly alone because now he can say he has a black friend!
Which insect would represent his only Asian friend? Or his only Hispanic friend? Or gay friend? Or is this joke about his ‘black friend’ not really all that funny?
The fly observed the two-minute limit better than he did. (Shamelessly stolen from one of the newspapers.)
Japanese Murder Hornet?
But at the same time, it’s worth noting that near the beginning, the mod accidentally called her Kamala, than immediately corrected herself and said ‘I’m sorry, Senator Harris’.
Kamala replied by saying “That’s fine, I’m Kamala”.