2016 elections - because it's never too early

[CountDeMoney]

No, the moderator shouldn't be a fact checker;  but he shouldn't lob toss pillows at one candidate while throwing spilt seam fastballs at the other candidate's head.
Unfortunately, the bars have already been set accordingly.

Still, there comes a point when even the most outrageous, bald faced falsehood--"we should establish a court system within the military"--needs to be at least acknowledged.  Stats and policy proclamations are one thing, simple basic civics facts are another.

[Razgovory]

I agree with Donald on this one.  That's not what the moderator is there for.

Seems to me that maintaining some basic integrity to the debates is what they are for.

[Barrister]

One thing a moderator should do, though, is try and push for an actual answer to a question.

[Razgovory]

Here's an example.

Moderator:  Your critics have denounced you for failing to release your tax returns.

Trump:  Those people are absolute liars.  I have released my tax returns and every newspaper in America has praised my charitable giving and my incredible wealth.

END.

[Ed Anger]

Kathy Miller sounds delightful. 

And now she's fired.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/297234-trump-county-official-resigns-after-racism-comments

Trump official resigns after racism comments

A county chairwoman of Donald Trump's campaign in Ohio resigned on Thursday following comments suggesting President Obama is to blame for racism.

Trump's Ohio state director, Bob Paduchik, said in a statement that county chairmen are "volunteers" and "not spokespeople for the campaign."

He said he accepted the resignation of Kathy Miller, who has been organizing Trump's campaign in Mahoning County, following her "inappropriate comments."

Miller also released a statement apologizing for her "inappropriate" comments and reiterating that she was not speaking on behalf of the campaign.

Miller's remarks to The Guardian quickly gained national attention Thursday, coming as the GOP presidential nominee has in recent weeks tried to court African-American voters.

[DGuller]

The moderator's job to ensure that candidates answer questions.  Careful non-answers is one way a candidate my fail to answer questions, brazen lying is another.  Their job is not to merely read out questions and point out when candidates run out of time answers or not answering them.

[Tonitrus]

No, the moderator shouldn't be a fact checker;  but he shouldn't lob toss pillows at one candidate while throwing spilt seam fastballs at the other candidate's head.
Unfortunately, the bars have already been set accordingly.

Still, there comes a point when even the most outrageous, bald faced falsehood--"we should establish a court system within the military"--needs to be at least acknowledged.  Stats and policy proclamations are one thing, simple basic civics facts are another.

That's not an outrageous falsehood...it's an outrageous, ignorance-based proposal for a redundancy. 

[derspiess]

I agree with Beeb.

[Martinus]

I like that Trump is supposedly courting African Americans while also calling for police to use stop and frisk measures.

Are you saying that criminals make up so much of the black vote you can't be tough on the former without discouraging the latter?

[alfred russel]

The Lincoln Douglas debates didn't have a moderator. I think that would be a cool way to have a debate. Put the candidates behind two podiums, turn on the cameras and let them roll for an hour. They pick the topics and determine the flow.

Trump proposed something like that, and unfortunately he is probably the first candidate in my lifetime that lacks the maturity to make the idea feasible.

[garbon]

I like that Trump is supposedly courting African Americans while also calling for police to use stop and frisk measures.

Are you saying that criminals make up so much of the black vote you can't be tough on the former without discouraging the latter?

Nope.

[lustindarkness]

Seedy should moderate the presidential debates,  he has plenty of moderating experience.

[Martinus]

Seedy should moderate the presidential debates,  he has plenty of moderating experience.

Trump would get banned within the first 30 seconds.

[Legbiter]

No, the moderator shouldn't be a fact checker;  but he shouldn't lob toss pillows at one candidate while throwing spilt seam fastballs at the other candidate's head.
Unfortunately, the bars have already been set accordingly.

The problem is the bar has been set so low for Trump that if he manages to not bite her throat out while smearing himself with his own excrement he's good. 

[garbon]

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2016/sep/22/donald-trump-hillary-clinton-budget-debt-election

Donald Trump's campaign has issued a statement attacking disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner for giving $550 to Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign:

The announcement by the FBI and New York Police Department that they are investigating close Clinton ally Anthony Weiner's inappropriate relationship with an under-aged female is extremely disturbing. The Clinton campaign should immediately return all campaign contributions from Weiner. America has had enough of the sleaze that is Clinton, Inc.

Trump himself has donated a cumulative $4,750 to Weiner's campaigns.