[NonValueAdded]

They are glorified joint press conferences with a biased press. We need a list of common questions and a timekeeper. That’s it. Question 1: immigration. Mrs. Clinton, you won the coin toss, you have 3 minutes then Mr. Trump gets 3 minutes. One minute each for follow up then on to question 2. Ready? Begin.

[fedupjohn]

They are glorified joint press conferences with a biased press. We need a list of common questions and a timekeeper. That’s it. Question 1: immigration. Mrs. Clinton, you won the coin toss, you have 3 minutes then Mr. Trump gets 3 minutes. One minute each for follow up then on to question 2. Ready? Begin.

YES, I agree!

[MNDude]

The common questions would be things like Trump’s taxes or Trump’s birtherism.

[goldstategop]

A real debate is having the candidates debate each other - no biased moderator to run interference or asking leading questions.

We might learn something illuminating about them. The present format puts the Republican candidate at a permanent disadvantage.

Trump should give the debate organizers an ultimatum: institute a real debate or I will walk. Its that simple.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

They are glorified joint press conferences with a biased press.

Correct.

We need a list of common questions and a timekeeper. That’s it. Question 1: immigration. Mrs. Clinton, you won the coin toss, you have 3 minutes then Mr. Trump gets 3 minutes. One minute each for follow up then on to question 2. Ready? Begin.

The timekeeper should be a simple chess timer which controls which microphone is live and which one is dead. No moderator, no questions, and no restriction on notes or even laptops, albeit laptops limited to a prearranged web site on which all graphics and statistical sources are filed in advance. You could even have an assistant, perhaps, to operate the laptop to display slide shows, etc.

Think about it: wouldn’t you rather your candidate have a second, and your candidate’s opponent have a second - rather than your candidate have no second - and your opponent have the moderator on her side???

And wouldn’t you rather your candidate have the ability to focus the audience on a graphic to illustrate his point - at least long enough that he can scratch his nose?

There is such a thing as over reliance on PowerPoint. Your candidate would have to know that discipline - and so would his opponent. But overall, I would expect such a debate to be far more interesting, and far more attractive to an audience - and far fairer - than the present Democrat-favoring one.