The only thing I would have Biden do differently is to use Silence as weapon

[Le Roi de Pot]

My wife is a champion at using silence to take control of a conversation ...

..silence after the interruption ..just long enough to make everyone uncomfortable ... Then go in for the kill... " Have you finished with the interruption?" ... "May I proceed? ....wait for the "Yes" .... Say "Thank You" .... And very calmly go back to making your point...


Go through the full routine with each interruption .... Don't give an inch ... You stay in control.

[dubyadiprecession]

1. Wallace shouldn't have allowed this to turn into a psychiatric ward meltdown by trump.

Wallace had no control as moderator of the debate.

[Sogo]

2. I don't think anyone without psych ward expertise could have controlled the situation.

[Mariana]

3. It wouldn't work because Trump interrupts and then keeps on talking forever

if he isn't made to stop. I suppose extra time could be given to Biden to make up for the time Trump babbles on, but I can see the debate going on for days if that happens.

[global1]

7. Just Subtract The Time From Trump's Time.....

the more he talks over Joe - the less time he gets to talk by himself. Penalize Trump for every interruption. Get his two minute time limit down to one minute or less.

[Blue_playwright]

4. I agree. He did go silent a couple of times...

... but the sarcastic polite “may I proceed” is great.

[SlogginThroughIt]

5. There was no moment to interject that silence. He never shut up.

[hvn_nbr_2]

6. I'm thinking along similar lines

I texted with my brother and sister. He is anti-Trump probably Republican (we don't typically talk politics) and she is a Republican but becoming doubtful about Trump. They both turned it off because they couldn't stand either of them!

I think the lesson is that if you even get into the same pool, you've got it on you. Trump interrupted constantly and shouted; Joe interrupted occasionally and shouted occasionally. My family verdict: they're both jerks. I think Joe has to be completely clean to make the distinction clear. He has to not interrupt at all, and not shout or get angry except in limited and deliberately chosen times. No getting egged on into anger.

I like your wife's approach to interruptions. Joe needs a way to call out lies in a similar non-confrontational (but really confrontational) way.

[kurtcagle]

8. With Trump it wouldn't work

Trump's whole attack strategy is to pull the oxygen from the room. He lies, then repeats the lie, then repeats the lie again, then uses it to segue back into the narrative he wants to make. He knows that if he stops, then he has to justify his statements, and he can't allow that to happen. He also knows that while he will be fact-checked, it won't be when most people are paying attention.

I also noticed that Trump was getting angrier and angrier that Wallace kept trying to put limits on him, and more was treating him like a recalcitrant child than as POTUS. Between that and Biden questioning his intelligence, Trump was ready to blow a gasket. Silence from Biden would have been ideal for Trump.

[LiberalBrooke]

9. With a halfway normal person silence works but not this clown.

Joe could not give don the con 90 minutes to spout his nonsense. I think Joe did fine at getting his point across and taking some time. I especially liked how he looked into the cameras and talked to the people.