Motivated by the vice-presidential debate, which still is going on, I’d like to ask my fellow Kossaks how they would act as moderator to control some of the stuff going on. If you were moderating a debate, how would assist or control the candidates? I realize that moderators must respect the candidates, but I think that can be done with a firmer hand.
For example, about midway in the debate, having taken stock of the parroting of pre-planned talking points, the insults, and the cross-talking, I would not flinch from saying something like “Candidate, this time I'd like you to answer the question asked instead of immediately going off in another direction."
At the risk of compromising this “story", by going off in another direction myself, I want to mention that the media folks who ask why Hillary Clinton has high negatives somehow ignore the decades-long efforts by Republicks to build those negative impressions.
But now, I want to hear how some of you would act, as moderator for a day.