I remember the primary debates as the most publicized period of all, the most valuable for voter educational purposes, but also divisive for the base, who had mostly already picked their favorite.
Somehow bookending the debates with regional events or rallies might lock in momentum for a nice chunk of time, going into the final curve of the calendar.
That makes more sense to me, a judicious use of time that could be very effective.
As to the chiefs and Indians problem (no doubt wacis....or something.........), unfortunately it's more like herding cats (as someone astutely noticed earlier), our desire to be "right" 100% of the time hurts us more often than it helps.