After Upending Debate Topic, Commission to Mute Candidates' Microphones

Nicholas Fondacaro | October 19, 2020
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***To read the full blog, please check out the complete post on NewsBusters***

Traditionally, the final presidential debate questions focused on foreign policy. But on Friday, the Commission on Presidential Debates spit in the eye of that precedent and decreed the final debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden be on a variety of topics (including climate change). And then on Monday, the commission upended things once more and announced that the microphones would be muted while candidates answered initial questions.

With their White House correspondent (with Democratic ties) Kristen Welker moderating the final date, NBC seemed to welcome the unprecedented change. “Trump and Biden’s only previous debate last month was marred by frequent interruptions from Trump, leading to calls for the debate moderator to have the ability to cut off each candidate’s microphone while their opponent spoke,” they wrote in an online article.

Explaining the purported plan for the debate, NBC reported that “President Donald Trump and Joe Biden will have their microphones cut off during Thursday’s final presidential debate while their opponent delivers initial two-minute answers to each debate topic…”

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