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Presidential Debate 2020: Commission vows format change, Internet wants 'mute button, sound proof boxes and buzzers'

While Biden called the debate a 'national embarrassment', Trump said it was 'fun' but many agreed that a mute button would be a great idea for the next round

The next Presidential debate might need a mute button, and it might just get one. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced on Wednesday, September 30, that it would install new rules to keep the face-offs under some semblance of control after President Donald Trump went off the rails in the first clash with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. While Biden called the debate a "national embarrassment", Trump said it was "fun".

The commission said on September 30 that the debate "made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues". While the commission did not elaborate on what measures it might impose on the candidates or how it might enforce them, The New York Times reported a range of options including the possibility of cutting off the microphones. However, it’s a technical challenge during live television and doesn’t prevent the candidate from speaking. The commission said the changes will be announced "shortly". The next presidential debate is a town hall format scheduled for October 15 in Miami.

"I can understand it. I kind of thought at one point, and maybe I shouldn't say this, but the president of the United States conducting himself the way he did, I think it was just a national embarrassment," Biden said on September 30 during a stop on his train tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania, as per a Daily Mail report. He said that he is getting ready for the next debate, which will be in a town hall format hosted by C-SPAN's Steve Scully in Miami, Florida, and floated the idea of using technology to rein in Trump. "I just hope there's a way in which the debate commission can control the ability of us to answer the question without interruption," he said, suggesting his microphone be muted if the president interrupts him.

As soon as the Commission's announcement made its way to Twitter, people had a lot of questions regarding the new rules, as one Internet user asked, "Does it include soundproof boxes around them and their mics are only unmuted when its their turn to speak? What about buzzers every single time one of them says something that is objectively false? just, loud as f**k, with the speaker directly over their head." And another one wrote, "I hope they are not just considering, but make drastic changes. They need to sound proof booths. When Biden speaks, turn off Trump’s microphone. Trump will not adhere to the rules any other way. Disgraceful, embarrassing performance by our President."

Some had suggestions for a new moderator, as one Internet user wrote, "Perhaps a known lefty hack shouldn’t be a moderator, should not be the one preparing skewed questions, not shove in as active debater, not interrupt the debaters and not fail to allow sufficient rebuttal time. There should be two independent moderators who are NOT with media." And another one suggested, "Next debate, include a 'point award system' where you lose points for: Interrupting the opponent Leaving your podium Going over on your allotted time Not answering the questions Making clearly false claims Points would be awarded for answering questions within the time limits."

Some people had some really funny suggestions, "Can We The People propose a solution? Because I propose we give #Trump a Shock collar that we get to control from home when he gets outta line during the debate. Or hear me out, an 'Aunt Lydia' uses a cattle prod anytime he says something a Handmaid would get in trouble for." Another suggested, "Just cut off their mics after 2minutes."

Seems like the 'shock' tool was a favorite as another wrote, "How about a button in which the moderator can deliver a small electric shock to the president every time he interrupts loudly or says something super racist. Every time it occurs the shock gets stronger."

These allegations were made by the internet and individual organizations, MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) cannot confirm them independently and nor does it support these claims being made on the Internet.