New: Commission on Presidential Debates says "last night's debate made clear that additional...

[demmiblue]

New: Commission on Presidential Debates says "last night’s debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues."

Ted Lieu has another take:

Link to tweet

[Wicked Blue]

1. A fire hose might be helpful nt

[calimary]

4. How 'bout the moderator wears a whistle?

And blows it, loud ‘n’ long whenever trump starts butting in?

[Wicked Blue]

11. If he's loaded up with speed, he won't notice it

And besides, a fire hose will work wonders on his carefully sculpted "hair"

[calimary]

15. Hmmm ... well, when you put it THAT way...

[lunatica]

20. The Gong show format

Every lie gets gonged. That might work.

[crickets]

23. Ooo! Gong AND a mute button would be perfect! I love that idea. nt

[demmiblue]

29. I was going to suggest this, but the site no longer exists (I remember posting about it before):

It turns out revenge is a dish best served via online trumpet-blowing.

For the better part of the last year, the world has been forced to listen to Donald Trump spew out a whole mess of obnoxious comments. From his sexist remarks against Fox News pundit Megyn Kelly to his promise to ban all Muslims from the country, he's tested the patience of every logical person who's wasted their time listening to him.

Now, thanks to a Swedish company, you can get your revenge at The Donald—at least digitally. At TrumpDonald.org, you'll be met with the mug of the presidential candidate peering at a trumpet. If you click on the window, the trumpet will blow a painful note at his face, blowing his hair back in the process. You can move your cursor across the screen to blast Trump from various angles (on the third click, confetti flies out of the horn).

More than 14 million people have blown at Trump so far, according to a helpful counter in the bottom left hand corner.

https://www.timeout.com/usa/blog/this-site-lets-you-blow-a-trumpet-at-donald-trumps-face-020416

Ah, well.

[lagomorph777]

2. Mute button!

And hold the event virtually; Biden and Turd in separate spaces. Biden shouldn't have to be exposed to Turd's COVID-infested entourage.

[mercuryblues]

3. Put a shock collar on trump

Problem solved.

[foo_fighter999]

13. Great idea!

Have it shock him every time he interrupts, speaks out of turn, or tells a lie.

[DeminPennswoods]

25. LOL!

[C_U_L8R]

5. It's not the format. It's one bad participant.

Even if they penalized him a 100 grand for every interrupt, he'd still find ways to be an ass.

[IcyPeas]

16. my thought too.

why should the rules have to change because of one asshole president? instead of somehow just making him obey the friggen rules like an adult.

[qazplm135]

6. Short of cutting mikes don't know how you do it

You can tell him he's lost two minutes of speaking time, or give Biden more speaking time, but he will just speak over it.

You can be more "forceful" with him but he's not going to respond to that.

The next one will be a townhall, so he's going to get questions from actual voters he can't attack as easily as a moderator.
And if he does, good luck with that strategy.

[jayfish]

17. If a Candidate has the Floor and is Interrupted,...

credit the time taken for the interruption to his time. Basically, Joe gets to keep talking until Rump shuts-the-fuck up. IMO, Chump wants to run his mouth so badly that he will, eventually, comply.

[qazplm135]

19. why?

He'll just run his mouth whenever anyways.

[jayfish]

22. It Puts the Onus of Whatever Happens Directly on Humps Shoulders and

He's going to wail and gnash his teeth about Joe having so much time to talk until he figures that out. When he comes to that realization, he'll relent. He doesn't want to take the blame for anything.

[qazplm135]

31. you are ascribing

rationality and responsibility to someone who doesn't know the meaning of either word.

The answer for Biden is not that Trump shuts up, it's that Biden ignores him.

Do more of what he sometimes did last night. Talk to the camera. Lay out his policies. Biden simply needs to stop responding to Trump.

It's not a debate. Never was. It's two more chances to talk to the people and tell them what his policies are.

Whatever nonsense Trump is spewing ignore it. Just look into the camera and talk. People will see one side trying to communicate policies and issues, and the other side being a nutjob.

Don't plead to the moderators, just raise your voice, talk over him and continue on unabated.

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

7. Simple. Mike MUTE.

GIVE THE IDIOT ONE (TWO, THREE) WARNINGS AND THEN HIT MUTE.

[unitedwethrive]

28. It's not that simple. They are only 10 feet apart...

with the volume TaxCheato emits, he would still be heard, and it would still distract Joe and everyone else. It was impossible for Joe to get a complete thought out last night, and if they are in the same room that will be the case regardless of mic volume.

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. The soundproof booths from 1950s game shows spring to mind.

But I'm also okay with letting Trump look like a complete and total asshole too. I just won't bother to tune in.

[uriel1972]

14. concrete boots and a trapdoor over deep water?

oh you meant how to control Trump during the debates...

[DeminPennswoods]

26. Perhaps lowering the cone of silence would work, too

nt

[BComplex]

9. Normally I agree with Ted Lieu. Not on this.

I think it would be hilarious to cut Trump's mic and watch him start shouting and, realizing the impotence of that, going over to Joe's mic and start showing his ass.

[AleksS]

10. It's not hard: mute his mike!

It’s not the format. It’s the GOP candidate. And he’s easy to silence—just mute the mike of the person who’s not supposed to be talking.

It’s not rocket science.

And it’d be hilarious to see him and his gestures and facial expressions without hearing the BS and being able to enjoy continuing uninterrupted.

[LAS14]

12. Yeah, it would be embarrasing for the U.S. to use a mute button, but...

... better that than what we saw last night. Can they actually do it without sound proof booths? Yeah, you can mute one person's mic, but won't the other person's pick him up?

tia
las

[octoberlib]

18. Are they gonna use a taser? I don't anything else will shut Trump up.

[peggysue2]

21. A taser gun might be useful

Or maybe just go low-tech: an old fashion hook around the neck and/or a temporary duck-taped mouth.

Truth is? You're not going to rein-in the Squatter-in-Chief. The lower the man's polls go, the more frantic and ugly he'll become. Last night was a sweaty preview. Trump has nothing to lose because he's losing. And he's losing by substantial numbers. Has any other supposed president threatened the American public with a:

It won't end well or Stand back and stand ready line?

This is a war which Trump is fomenting in public. Against the American people and our constitutional Republic.

Never forget. Never forgive.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

24. One good way to humiliate tRump is to take the cameras off him...

after his allotted time. Being a narcissist, he can't stand not being the center of attention. Being heard running his mouth off-camera is exposing the brat that he is.

Then, after a bit more time, cut his microphone.

The first thing this Commission needs to do is stop calling any event with tRump a debate.

The word "debate" is an oxymoron to tRump, the GOP and most Republican supporters and voters. Debate would suggest surrender to the left and it ain't going to happen.

[crickets]

27. Agreed. I was not a fan of the split screen.

trump's childish pouting and mugging while Biden spoke was awful. I would prefer seeing one camera on the person speaking, with perhaps an occasional reaction shot. Biden's horrified reaction when trump refused to condemn white supremacy was a good example of a worthwhile moment, but for the most part the split screen was unnecessary.

I loved one DUer's strategy to deal with it: hang a towel over trump's side of the screen. 😄

[Awsi Dooger]

30. Never prevent a Republican from sounding like a Republican

Or acting like a Republican

After watching a tape of the debate today, I do not want Trump coned or muzzled. Republicans are silent today. If both sides had spoken fully then Biden wins on surface but Trumpers would be chirping all over the place, and media drawn into it, saying Trump looked presidential and similar crap.

The bottom line is all that matters. We may want Biden to be eloquent on every important issue. But keeping Trump's approval low is the most vital reference point. That is accomplished via full exposure. It is just like a plant that needs full sun