There is a simple technical solution to prevent cross-talk at a debate: a chess-clock.

[DetlefK]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_clock

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It's simple:

* Each candidate gets 30 minutes of total time.

* A candidate's microphone is on if the moderator (during Q&A) or his opponent (during back-and-forth) presses a button. You cannot activate your own microphone.

* There would be no set time-limit how much time you get to spend on a particular answer. You spend your time as you see fit. While your microphone is on, your time runs down.

* Once you are finished with your answer, you press a button: Your microphone gets deactivated, your countdown is paused, the opponent's microphone is activated and his countdown continues.

* If your time runs out before the debate is over, well, that's your fault. Your microphone is now turned off permanently.





Your opponent's microphone is turned off automatically if your's is turned on and vice versa. Good luck shouting from the other side of the stage.

[Laelth]

1. Won't work.

Trump will just keep talking. He will agree to rules, but he will never follow them.

-Laelth

[Miguelito Loveless]

2. True

But he then looks more unhinged when he starts screaming.

[DetlefK]

4. He can talk as much as he wants, because his microphone would be turned off.

[consider_this]

7. nope - see my post #5.

[consider_this]

5. Yep - I said this elsewhere,

that won't stop him from talking/yelling, and disrupting Joe or moderator as the are trying to speak. They are in the room, they will hear it all, whether TV audience does or not. But I also imagine his spew would get picked up bu the other mics too perhaps.

the only solution for him is a muzzle.

[lagomorph777]

11. Silly to put them in the same physical space.

Trump's COVID-infested entourage should be confined to the White House; Biden can stay wherever he wants, and the moderator can be in any convenient TV studio.

When it isn't Trump's turn, turn off his mic and camera

[consider_this]

16. much better!

[calimary]

9. And he won't willingly turn his own mic off.

[lagomorph777]

14. Ok - then he can leave the last words to Biden.

[calimary]

17. Not willingly.

[lagomorph777]

19. Nope, but the timer would run out, and he's done.

Like it or not.

[calimary]

21. The timer running out would have to kill his mic.

But that likely wouldn’t stop him either.

[lagomorph777]

22. Yes, it would kill his mic. Then we could laugh as he gesticulates wildly and mouths obscenities.

[Cirque du So-What]

3. Speaking of chess...

Debating rump is rather like trying to play chess with a pigeon; it struts around, knocks the pieces over, craps on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory.

[consider_this]

6. good analogy!

[Stinky The Clown]

13. PERFECT!

[calimary]

18. Yep. That's about it.

[Trumpocalypse]

8. I'm in favor of wiring them with electrodes

and getting a shock every time they interrupt.

[JHB]

10. Even simpler: dispense with having them both on the same stage...

...and have separate video feeds, Zoom-meeting style. Whoever's not "on" gets muted.

[lagomorph777]

15. Yup - camera off, mic off.

Though it might be amusing to see Turd gesticulating wildly and mouthing obscenities.

[freepotter]

12. Sound-proof booth

Hell, put them in sound-proof booths where they can hear everything, but we can only hear the respondent when the moderator turns on the appropriate microphone. Used to use them in several game shows back in the 50's. Probably would have to put a lock on Dump's.

[Wicked Blue]

20. In Brownie Girl Scouts, we used the Talking Stick

Years ago I was leader of a Brownie troop that my daughter was in. We used the Talking Stick tradition. Only the person holding the stick could talk and the others had to be quiet and listen. When a speaker finished, she handed the stick to the next person who wished to speak.

Nevertheless, I fear that in the Orange Traitor's case, he would hit Biden over the head with it instead of handing it over.