Chris Wallace blames Trump for chaotic debate: He 'bears the primary responsibility'

[regnaD kciN]

8. Frankly, there wasn't much he could do...

...considering that the rules didn't allow him to have a "mute switch."

Could he have tried to lecture Trump? He did try -- and Trump simply shouted right over him, repeatedly. About the only thing he could have done was, as you suggest, just ordered the debate to be stopped. But what would have happened then? Would the networks have simply cut off their camera feeds? Doubt it -- it would have been "must-see TV." Maybe he could have simply walked off (Biden as well), but Trump would then have had the stage to himself for the remainder of the airtime...and the narrative would have been that "the moderator was in league with the Democrat candidate, and stopped the proceedings when it was clear he was being badly beaten."