Errol Louis is the host of"Inside City Hall," a nightly political show on NY1, a New York all-news channel. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion articles on CNN.
There's wide public agreement that the ugly, contentious presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Tuesday night was an irritating national embarrassment --"must-flee TV," as CNN contributor Paul Begala wisecracked. But the Commission on Presidential Debates' announcement that it's considering changes to the format of the two remaining debates won't cure the problem.
Errol Louis Tuesday's basic format -- two-minute answers, with opportunities for rebuttal -- wasn't the reason the debate got so ugly. The fatal flaw was not giving the moderator, Chris Wallace, the power to compel the candidates to follow the rules they'd agreed to. The only way to keep out-of-control debaters in line is to give the moderator the ability to turn off the candidates' microphones -- and the authority, if necessary, to eject them from the debate altogether.
Opinion Shock collars would be a great tool as well.
Opinion
Opinion Yay! Let’s literally silence opinions we don’t want to hear!!!
Opinion You cant eject a candidate, then is not a debate is just a candidate in a interview. What a joke
Opinion Can’t they also turn the „music” on when the Candidate’s time is about to end, like they do during Oscar’s?
Opinion
Opinion Shock collar
Opinion Which he will never accept. Effectively booting him from the debates. Win. Expletive. Win. 😃
Opinion I refer you guys to the debate in 2016 when Chris Wallace asked the same question and again, the answer was the same!!! Get real hear CNN and do your job
Opinion Trump should be put in a booth in which the microphone can be shut down if he goes overtime and off subject.
Opinion Guys don't let hate for Trump rob you of common sense! Please! CNN Your writeup's are so myopic, hate-filled, and plain stupid! Jeez!!!
Opinion We must be able to turn off the mic anytime Trump starts telling the truth. These live debates make it hard to keep the false narrative going when Ttump can just say facts to the people watching
Opinion Unless that moderator happens to be employed by CNN. Then God help us as that mute button will permanently be on for Trump! CNN FAKE NEWS
Opinion I whole heartily agree!!
Opinion Then Trump would be gone in the 1st 5mins. He just doesn’t know how to “shut up” the 🤬narcissistic bully!
Opinion 👇
Opinion Ahhhhh NO Way The Moderator can use a paintgun
Opinion Funny that since JoeBiden was the one to start the interrupting.
Opinion If that was the case Beijing, quid pro Joe Biden, would have had his mike cut off most of the time. Fake news
Opinion No. No. Can you not expect your president to behave decently, you have to add new rules to make him behave. Don’t change the rules, ask him to behave properly. If he doesn’t, then he shows who he is. Don’t lower your standards to meet his.
Opinion Why would any candidate agree to this? Biased media already has enough control!!
Opinion The day will come they won’t be able to walk down the street, cnn included 🍿🍿🍿
Opinion yeah, and your liberal moderators would turn Trump off, and let Biden ramble on with his lies. KAG2020LandslideVictory
Opinion Get rid of trump and the shit show goes away. Problem solved
Opinion cnn!! Totally agree! In the next debate, can the candidates be placed in separate rooms and mics turned on only when its their time to speak? KP_CommunityMed are you with me? Lets set some new ground rules and avoid chaos in the next debate.
Opinion If Trump wore a shock collar, I would actually watch the debate.
Opinion He'll be able to just shout his lies anyway. Won't he? They are not that far apart. Put him in a separate room and lock the door until its over.
Opinion Hahaha is this Russia? Biden should be careful what he wishes for a cut off microphone could expose how very incompetent he is and how jumbled or memorized his answers are! Trump was not alone in interrupting Joe we were there and heard you too and your name calling was offensive
Opinion You folks are fools. We Americans have eyes and can decide for ourselves what an ass the politician is and will be punished at the ballot box.
Opinion ok, now do the same if one starts lying...
Opinion CNNOpinion Errol louis Respectfully you copied my suggestions made at NBC yesterday! Over 350 saw my bookmarks so far about my suggestion!
Opinion Chance the rules so slow Joe can kept up.
Opinion 😂😂😂😂😂
Opinion Or... how about discontinuing the useless debates?
Opinion IF you have a moderator who is cronie of one part, unfair, attacking one of them and is OBVIOUSLY giving oxygen to that part ., you can't hope for a fair debate.
Opinion The only way to have a debate is to not have moderators who are biased political party hacks but masquerade as journalists at CNN, NBC, ABC, FoxNews etc.
Opinion To think a supposed, leading first world country,produces these dodgy quality leaders, in need of special measures to have a civilized debate. It’s astonishing.
Opinion They tried it with Reagan too.
Opinion Actually, first sanction: dock interruptor 3x the time they took up plus 10 seconds each time. Mute if they go over reduced time. This makes it cost. Going over reduced time is a strike. Three strikes & debate called by formal rule as won by opponent.
Opinion Yeah, kinda like cnn does already.
Opinion CNN NO! Let them continue, you can’t give either side a reason to complain, Joe needs to adapt to the situation! Donald already continues to ignore the virus that has of TODAY KILLED 211,805 citizens & has FAILED to negotiate the Crisis Fund with RECORD Layoffs & Bankruptcies!
sivauns Opinion Why don’t we just require the participants to be rational adults?
Opinion Censorship
Opinion We need to be able to remove the moderator as well
Opinion what about the out of control moderators like chris walace heshoul apologize to America for distroying there presidential debate for his on personal biass. look how treated the president when the president was nice enough to give him a personal interview for his sunday show.
Opinion trump should be ther so that he could be exposed
Opinion removing a guy from the debate is stupid since whats the point then
Opinion JamesCorden are you terribly busy on Oct 15th & Oct 22nd? Kind of joking. But if you're free, that would be great. lol
Opinion Also shock collars
Opinion I say no moderateor. Let em have at it.
Opinion
Opinion All good ideas I agree because that was a total embarrassment the other night. I also think Trump needs two police officers, one on each shoulder, to make sure he doesn't breach the peace, and if he does, example by again inciting hate speech, he should be arrested immediately
Opinion RonaldReagan got a lot of support from the crowd when he took the microphone. That was before he was POTUS. The difference now is realDonaldTrump is PresidentTrump the incumbent.
Opinion
Opinion Mute YES! Increase time to respond. No ejection. Being in joerogan
Opinion Or take away their time and rewards dit to the other guy/girl
Opinion Turn on Loud Rap music when It's time to stop a tress-passer!
Opinion Wouldn't you commies just love that.
Opinion Joe Biden and Nicolás Maduro 🇺🇸🇻🇪 If Joe Biden wins, Xi Jinping will probably be America's new leader.
Opinion Or...
Opinion How about an unbiased moderator?
Opinion Put them in booths like a game show - which it is.
Opinion Wallace is not a moderator but an instigator !
Opinion Yea one way to fix it is to have no more liberal moderators.
Opinion I wish they would not change rules, if Trump refuses to follow rules shut the shit down. Fuck it.
Opinion
Opinion 100%
Opinion How about a fisticuffs fight during the debate.?
Opinion Translation - We want the ability to turn off Trump's mic whenever we want to.
Opinion Put a timer on the mic and take the moderator out of it. As for cutting mics, they do it all the time in the Senate & House, as well as judicial proceedings .... law & order shit
Opinion I totally agree. Three strikes and you're out. Then, the other candidate gets the remaining airtime to himself to clearly explain his policy in detail, uninterrupted. Imagine: using that airtime to explain the Dems true policy on gun control, how ACA will be improved, etc.
Opinion Kind of like when my eight year old won’t quit playing with his window control on a car ride
Opinion Trump will never agree to this. He cant stop rambling and wants to interrupt the whole time. Meaning there will not be another debate.
Opinion If it was a zoom debate, the moderator could click the mute button on any/all. Democracy saved.
Opinion . DO WHAT PARENTS DO.....MODERATOR give trumpy a cookie take BIDEN to the side DISCUS FACTS and REAL ISSUES....that is why Americans tuned in to hear NOT TantrumP's .
Opinion Don't end up like the UK vote for Trump
Opinion Naw.. you need a decent moderator
Opinion That's what we want. Silence authority over debate.. Not. I have an opinion, Let it be, Debates are held around the world, from pubs to senate floors. No one has ever asked 'Lets get mute buttons to control debate.' Slippery slope, people, First COVID lockdowns, now this.
Opinion Does this man look like a White Supremacist?
Opinion Damn the moderator was a Democrat helping childish Joe
Opinion EXACTLY!! As I mentioned yesterday in a tweet, if allowed, as moderator, I’d have given one warning. Then, if it continued, it’s done. The offender is escorted off stage, the opponent can speak freely without interruption & give it a wrap.
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