No one should be surprised that the first Trump-Biden debate is total chaos. Trump refuses to let his opponent speak interrupted, Biden told him to shut up, and then for the first time in U.S. history, the sitting president was called “a clown” during a general election debate. Both sides are slinging insults, and Biden actually raised his voice about two-thirds of the way through the show. It’s absolute mayhem, and Fox News’ Chris Wallace is acting as moderator of the evening’s events.
Or is he? Wallace isn’t able to get a word in edgewise, which was undoubtedly the plan from Trump, and Biden’s throwing plenty of shots. In the middle of it all, Wallace isn’t putting up much of a fight. And he’s being roundly called out (by the right, left, and everything in between) for his (lack of a) performance.
This moderator gotta start putting his foot down. He gotta take control back.
— Ronnie Stanley (@megatronnie) September 30, 2020
Most accurate thing Chris Wallace said tonight: “Gentlemen, I think I’m going to take back the moderator’s role.”
Wallace gave it up from the start.
— Yashar Ali
(@yashar) September 30, 2020
“Im going to take back the moderator’s role”
You never had it, Chris.
— Roy Bellamy (@roybelly) September 30, 2020
#ChrisWallace is an absolutely pathetic moderator. His performance tonight is abysmal. He has no control. #PresidentialDebate
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) September 30, 2020
Chris Wallace: “I’m going to take back the moderator’s role.”
Er, no, Chris. With respect, you never assumed that role.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) September 30, 2020
In all fairness, could anyone moderate this hot mess? Well, maybe Samuel L. Jackson could, as one user pointed out on Twitter.
I wish @SamuelLJackson was the debate moderator #PresidentialDebate
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) September 30, 2020
The complaints continued (as you can see below), and as it stands, there’s still two more scheduled debates between the president and the former vice president (but will they happen?). 2020, it only gets weirder as the year continues.
So, far, the headline of this debate is Trump seeking to undermine faith in the upcoming election. The second biggest story is his overt racism. The third biggest story is his appalling behavior and Chris Wallace’s wire-to-wire failure as a moderator.
— David Rothkopf (@djrothkopf) September 30, 2020
trump debating the moderator more than biden
— bobby wasabi (@bIondiewasabi) September 30, 2020
I want a more impartial moderator for the next debate. Is Joy Behar available?
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) September 30, 2020
Hundreds of millions of Americans are having daily Zoom conversations with a mute function. Is it so much to ask that we be able to watch a presidential debate where the moderator has the ability to keep this clown from derailing the entire proceedings?#Debates2020
— Charlotte Clymer
(@cmclymer) September 30, 2020
Next debate: The moderator should be able to turn off the candidate’s microphone, to enforce the rules of the debate agreed on in advance. This plan is not working very well.
— Doreen Gentzler (@DoreenGentzler) September 30, 2020
Next debate the moderator should be able to mute microphones.
— Armie Hammer (@armiehammer) September 30, 2020
Power that goes unchecked, especially by a debate moderator, has life and death consequences. We can’t unring this bell, we just have to drown it out with truth.
— Natasha Rothwell (@natasharothwell) September 30, 2020