Muting of Microphones During Second and Final #USDabate

You may still remember the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden last month – perhaps more for its chaos than for its content.

To prevent a repeat of that heated encounter with its frequent interruptions – particularly by President Trump – new rules have been introduced that will mute the candidates’ microphones during their second and final presidential televised debate on Thursday in Nashville.

Both Trump and Biden will be given two minutes to make their remarks, without interruption from the other candidate, the debate’s organisers have announced. Microphones will then be unmuted for questions.

“We realize, after discussions with both campaigns, that neither campaign may be totally satisfied with the measures announced today. One may think they go too far, and one may think they do not go far enough,” the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) said in the statement.

“We are comfortable that these actions strike the right balance and that they are in the interest of the American people, for whom these debates are held.”

The president told reporters he was still planning to take part on the event, but said of the rule: “I just think it’s very unfair.”