Debate moderation is a thankless task. There is, however, value in assigning to human beings the responsibility to arbitrate the discourse on a debate stage. They keep the conversation on track. They encourage interaction between the candidates when necessary and discourage it when not. They seek clarification when a candidate responds to a direct question with a blizzard of superficially authoritative gibberish. Most importantly, they exercise their own discretion about when to intervene in the proceedings. That discretion often vexes partisan supporters of one candidate or another, but, on balance, it helps the audience at home feel like the spectacle they’ve just witnessed was a useful exercise.
The host of tonight’s debate, CNN, has stripped its moderators of some of that discretion. The rules that will govern the first colloquy between Joe Biden and Donald Trump lend that authority to machines. As a helpful video featuring CNN hosts Phil Mattingly and Victor Blackwell explicating the rules for tonight’s exchange revealed, both candidates will have a standard allotted time to respond to a moderator’s question. When that time expires, their microphone will be cut off. If a comprehensive response requires more time or the candidates seek to engage in an extended and illuminating direct discussion with one another, that’s just tough. The machine dictates the terms.
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