The first presidential debate in 2020 between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, moderated by Chris Wallace, was marked by an unprecedented level of interruptions and chaos.
Reports from Slate and The Boston Globe highlighted that Trump interrupted Biden and Wallace a staggering 128 times, a significant increase from the 51 times he interrupted Hillary Clinton in their first 2016 debate. This constant disruption left Wallace struggling to maintain order, as he repeatedly implored Trump to allow Biden to speak.
Interestingly, criticism of Trump’s debate tactics came from an unexpected source: his then-14-year-old son, Barron Trump. In a segment of Mollie Hemingway’s book “Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech, and the Democrats Seized Our Elections,” obtained by the Daily Mail, Trump shared that Barron had remarked, “Dad, you were too tough. You didn’t have to keep interrupting him.” Trump also acknowledged the general perception of his debate style as overly aggressive.
Biden’s response to Trump’s interruptions also deviated from the norm, as he retorted with phrases like “Will you shut up, man?” and “Come on, man,” reflecting a departure from typical formal debate decorum.
In response to the chaotic first debate, the Commission on Presidential Debates, aiming to uphold the integrity of these events, introduced a mute button in subsequent debates. This measure applied impartially to both candidates and allowed a debate producer (not the moderator) to mute the microphone of the opposing candidate while one was speaking, ensuring each had uninterrupted time to answer questions. (via BBC)
This change in debate format, rather than Barron Trump’s feedback, likely contributed to the more controlled atmosphere in the subsequent Trump-Biden debate. Each candidate had their microphone turned off while the other was speaking, allowing for a more orderly and structured exchange.
