# Who would be the best moderator for Presidential debates? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 4, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686 "2012-10-04T13:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/61 "2012-10-05T12:43:21Z")
They need this pretty bad, **Gyrate**. We don’t need to be churlish about it. Not to worry, today, tomorrow, Mitt will open his mouth again. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/62 "2012-10-05T14:49:23Z")
> [@Debaser](#): > > Who wouldn’t shut up? Obama or Romney? Both have Secret Service assigned to them. I like the idea of someone from the BBC moderating, but I don’t have a suggestion on who. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/63 "2012-10-05T15:02:57Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Try watching her show for a week. She and her staff are meticulous researchers and every word she says can be backed up. On the rare occasion where she makes a mistake, she owns up to it. Well researched, entertaining, liberal, and cute as a button. What’s not to love? When I say she’s intellectually dishonest, I don’t mean she makes things up or reports untrue things. Just that, she spins things that conservatives say/do dishonestly. One recent example was something that was talked about right here a few weeks ago, with Romney’s comment about why windows don’t go down in airplanes. It was an obvious joke, but the way she reacted to it was stupid and predictable, and dishonest. I don’t think in her heart she didn’t know it was a joke, or an attempt at a joke, but she didn’t make fun of him for making a bad joke or delivering it poorly, she attacked him as if he honestly believed that windows should go down on planes. That’s the kind of stuff that Hannity and friends do on Fox News, and it pisses me off. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/64 "2012-10-05T15:11:03Z")
Don’t watch her. She’ll get over it. Oh, sure, it will be hard at first, it will take patience and courage… ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/65 "2012-10-05T15:34:21Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Don’t watch her. She’ll get over it. Oh, sure, it will be hard at first, it will take patience and courage… What a stupid response. drewtwo99 was simply pointing out that she’s too biased to be an effective moderator and this is your response. Do you even read for comprehension? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/66 "2012-10-05T15:59:33Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > When I say she’s intellectually dishonest, I don’t mean she makes things up or reports untrue things. Just that, she spins things that conservatives say/do dishonestly. > > One recent example was something that was talked about right here a few weeks ago, with Romney’s comment about why windows don’t go down in airplanes. It was an obvious joke, but the way she reacted to it was stupid and predictable, and dishonest. I don’t think in her heart she didn’t know it was a joke, or an attempt at a joke, but she didn’t make fun of him for making a bad joke or delivering it poorly, she attacked him as if he honestly believed that windows should go down on planes. > > That’s the kind of stuff that Hannity and friends do on Fox News, and it pisses me off. I watched that segment too. Yes, it’s possible it was a joke. But she discussed that aspect and concluded that Romney wouldn’t be joking, in that context, about a near death experience his wife had just 24 hours prior to his comments, while she was standing right there. Regardless, she prefaced her entire segment by saying that she knows this particular quote won’t resonate with the electorate like the “47%” from a few days before. She was basically saying “look, I understand that, in the grand scheme of things, this really isn’t that big of a deal, but…” ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/67 "2012-10-05T16:02:50Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Yes, it’s possible it was a joke. But she discussed that aspect and concluded that Romney wouldn’t be joking, in that context, about a near death experience his wife had just 24 hours prior to his comments, while she was standing right there. Apparently he would. In your _face_, Maddow! ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/68 "2012-10-05T16:31:41Z")
Pretty much anybody with 1)access to a switch to cut off the microphone and/or administer an electric shock when somebody goes over their alloted time and 2)the gumption to use it. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/69 "2012-10-05T17:21:54Z")
> [@Anduril](#): > > What a stupid response. drewtwo99 was simply pointing out that she’s too biased to be an effective moderator and this is your response. Do you even read for comprehension? We could experiment, you could try writing for comprehension, and we’ll see if that’s an improvement. ---
**Author:** ![Anduril](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Anduril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anduril)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/70 "2012-10-05T19:53:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > We could experiment, you could try writing for comprehension, and we’ll see if that’s an improvement. Again, nonsense from you. This is becoming a trend. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/71 "2012-10-05T20:10:51Z")
> [@Malden\_Capell](#): > > Dwight Schrute. “QUESTION. When you say ‘no,’ do you actually mean ‘yes’?” “QUESTION. Should the President be able to fire Congress?” “QUESTION. Is only being ready to fight two world wars simultaneously really sufficient to protect our Homeland?” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/72 "2012-10-05T20:28:23Z")
> [@Acid\_Lamp](#): > > Steven Colbert would likely do an excellent job. Colbert would do an _amusing_ job, but Jon Stewart is better at being serious when the situation calls for it. ---
**Author:** ![Oedipus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Oedipus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oedipus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/73 "2012-10-05T21:22:42Z")
I’ll hold to Reali. He keeps everyone in check on Around the Horn and is a man who lives and dies by the facts. Paxton is amazing, too. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/74 "2012-10-05T22:05:09Z")
> [@Anduril](#): > > What a stupid response. drewtwo99 was simply pointing out that she’s too biased to be an effective moderator and this is your response. Do you even read for comprehension? > [@elucidator](#): > > We could experiment, you could try writing for comprehension, and we’ll see if that’s an improvement. > [@Anduril](#): > > Again, nonsense from you. This is becoming a trend. Enough already. Please let this go or take it to The BBQ Pit. ---
**Author:** ![gatorslap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gatorslap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gatorslap)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/75 "2012-10-06T03:49:07Z")
The moderator should’ve been Judge Judy. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/76 "2012-10-06T04:09:12Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Pretty much anybody with 1)access to a switch to cut off the microphone and/or administer an electric shock when somebody goes over their alloted time and 2)the gumption to use it. I had two different ideas: 1. Give some kid off-stage a carton of Twinkies and a paintball gun. The paintball gun’s safety is automatically engaged, but is disengaged by the moderator if the candidate goes on past their assigned times. 2. The moderator gets a super-soaker, and when a candidate exceeds his time, the moderator sends a steady stream into the candidate’s forehead until the candidate shuts up. Either would be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/77 "2012-10-06T08:29:40Z")
I don’t get why talking at length is a problem. Rather, the problem is not staying on topic. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/78 "2012-10-06T16:14:49Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Or Walter Sobchak. > > I’d seriously pay a good deal of money to see both of those two moderating. “This debate isn’t Nam, there are rules.” ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/79 "2012-10-06T19:31:17Z")
If the [speech jammer](http://finance.yahoo.com/news/shut-speech-jammer-among-2012-ig-nobel-winners-015943497.html) is good enough for an Ig Nobel, it’s good enough for the presidential debates. Or we could just borrow [Miss Sweetie Poo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ig_Nobel_Prize#cite_note-3) from their awards ceremony: “a little girl who repeatedly cries out, “Please stop: I’m bored,” in a high-pitched voice if speakers go on too long.” ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686/80 "2012-10-06T22:05:40Z")
R. Lee Ermey. That would be fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-be-the-best-moderator-for-presidential-debates/636686.md?page=5)