I still maintain that Chris Wallace should have shut the debate down.

[LuckyCharms]

I know there are opinions here that Chris Wallace was not at fault. Well, maybe he wasn't the one who was yelling and screaming, but he did not do his job. Trump was like a cornered animal and there is really no way to control him except to admonish him like you would a misbehaving child, and then verbally slap the living fuck out of Trump, all while calling him "Mr. President". And then...

"Mr. President, I'm shutting this debate down because you literally cannot behave like an adult. It will be up to you to explain to the American people why this is".

I thought VP Biden did a fantastic job. All the viewing audience needed to see was the contrast between the two men, and that was apparent quickly. He looked directly into the camera, spoke the truth, and spoke from his heart. There are very few people around who would have been able to maintain their composure as well as VP Biden did.

Trump didn't turn that debate into a street fight, he turned it into a machete attack.

The first thing I thought about when I woke up this morning was how Wallace kept saying "You'll like this next question, Mr. President". That is a CLASSIC response of an abuse victim. It was fucking heartbreaking.

You should give bullies no quarter. No, it was not possible to go up there and punch Trump out, but he did have the weapon of admonishment and stopping the debate. I'm wondering how many abuse victims were reduced to tears after that debacle? There's certainly enough stress right now, America did not need that shit. Some might say that it gave VP Biden a chance to strike a contrast, and that is true. It also put to rest Trump's bullshit about Biden being senile. But what else it did was give Trump the opportunity to rile up the Unendowed Boys. A call to violence. Fuck that shit...America doesn't need it.

Joe Biden won that debate in the first 10 minutes. He also won the election.

[beachbumbob]

1. who the heck is saying Wallace was not at fault? He failed to do his job, another coward in the face

of trump.

[LuckyCharms]

2. i don't know...there were several comments here last night along the lines of...

Not his fault, nobody can control Trump, etc. I'm not saying that isn't a valid opinion, but I disagree with it.

[EndlessWire]

8. I disagree.

There was nothing he could do to control Trump. The debate was a waste of time except to show what an asshole Trump is, and to show that he is planning violence. And, I don't think that you can just up and cancel air time like that on your own.

I hope that the networks cancel the next two debates based on the first one. THAT is something that is doable before it happens.

I was surprised to hear Wallace state that he was the one who picked the questions.

I can't stand to see Trump's demeanor. He appears to be an angry, vicious man who can barely contain himself. He looks every bit like Hitler. The only thing he had was money to attract women. Who would otherwise think that this thing is a good catch, worthy of devotion? How he got so many second chances is beyond me. As a totally selfish reason not to vote for him, I don't want to look at his ugly mug for four more years. Please wish him into the cornfield!

[drray23]

11. for every debate that has always been the rule.

I was surprised to hear Wallace state that he was the one who picked the questions.

At least all those I have seen the moderator always state that they are the only ones having seen the questions. Its to avoid any leak. I assume they have a team helping to produce a pool of questions from which they ultimately choose.

[bdamomma]

14. Nothing he could do to control trump???

other than putting a muzzle on his pie hole.

[PatSeg]

21. Actually Chris Wallace has been a decent moderator

in the past. There was no controlling that monster on the stage. I don't know of anyone who could have controlled him, while staying within the debate guidelines and rules. Without having the option of cutting off his mic or going to break, I don't know what he or anyone else could have done.

[Boogiemack]

3. Yes, maybe. But not before he asked that question that allowed Trump to call on the Proud Boys

That was the great undoing of a President.

[llmart]

10. If that doesn't scare the beejeebers out of Americans...

I don't know what will. That was a call for civil war. No doubt about it.

How anyone could now call themselves "undecided" is beyond me.

[malaise]

20. That bit of information was HUGE

It's time to impeach him again

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

4. Agreed with all...nt

[C_U_L8R]

5. Trumps awfulness was on display for all to see

On global tv and streams, under bright lights with powerful lenses. It was ugly. Revolting. Hideous. But so necessary to his ultimate undoing.

[ihas2stinkyfeet]

6. there was no reason to give tax cheato a platform to abuse the whole nation.

couldnt agree more lc.

[cbdo2007]

7. He doesn't have that power. It should have been the Debate Commission to step in...

and enforce the rules.

THEY are the ones who need to implement a mic cut off switch and keep the candidates civil. The debate moderators can realistically only do so much before it is a shouting match, which is what happened last night.

[LuckyCharms]

9. Well that's probably true, I don't know enough about that, but

The fact remains...Wallace was getting abused. There always seems to be some excuse as to why people cannot stand up to Trump. Wallace didn't have the power? Sure he did...just do it. Nobody has to tolerate abuse.

What is the role of a debate monitor? To monitor the debate. If it can't be monitored, it's not a debate.

Until more people start taking a stand against this heinous bully, the abuse will continue.

[llmart]

12. I could not agree with you more!

The term "monitor" says it all.

Same thing happened with he stalked Hillary on stage. He should have been stopped then too.

[bdamomma]

15. He needs to STOP

We are the only ones to STOP HIM, be it non violence or violence.

[llmart]

16. Once he's out of our lives...

the media needs to stop reporting on every time he opens his anus mouth. However, I still want them to report on all the lawsuits/prison time he and his family will be getting. I just hope he's kept too busy fighting all of those to have a public platform for his shit spewing.

[cbdo2007]

13. It is too late this year but the Dems need to INSIST on silent mics in future debates.

Or they don't participate.

Both sides have to agree to the rules. Dems should not agree to rules where the Debate Commission will not enforce their rules and cut off the mics plain and simple.

[consider_this]

19. Even if they did cut off his mic

Joe would still be hearing him yelling there right next to him - he would still be bullying the room, whether we heard it broadcast or not, though I gotta believe Joe's mic would also pick ups the 'rump noise too?
Any audio pros here know?

[Sherman A1]

18. Well,

there is that little point. As much as I am not a fan of Wallace, he could only work with the situation he was given.

[Dem2]

17. So glad I didn't watch it

As I said yesterday, you couldn't pay me enough to watch that idiocy.

It was clear (to me anyway) what was going to happen last night.

[PTWB]

22. No way.

The best thing Chris Wallace could do for us is let the world see how unhinged Trump is compared with a relatively cool and composed Biden. The contrast was staggering.

Shutting the debate down would have handed Trump a huge victory and denied the world the opportunity to see Joe stand up to Trump. Bad move.

[GoCubsGo]

23. Yep. If Trump refuses to follow the rules, then so should the moderators.

If he thinks he's above the rules, then throw it back at him. Fuck him.