Washington, October 20: The US Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday they will mute the microphones of President Donald Trump and rival Joe Biden when they are not answering questions during their final showdown, to avoid the interruptions that disrupted their last debate.
Each candidate will be given two minutes to answer the moderator's questions, during which time the other man's mic will be shut off. Once they both have had their two minutes, then there will be open discussions, and neither mic will be muted.
The format will be such that the 90-minute debate is divided into six 15-minute segments, with each candidate granted two minutes to deliver uninterrupted remarks before proceeding to an open debate. Donald Trump & Joe Biden Town Hall Highlights: Trump Says 'I Have Done a Great Job' When Asked Why Should People Vote For Him, Biden Lays Out Policies Ahead of US Presidential Election 2020.
Mikes to be Muted in US Presidential Debate to Stop Interruptions:
Mikes to be muted in US presidential debate to stop interruptionshttps://t.co/KsfhpByC9Z pic.twitter.com/tP5ckgPmXa
— AFP news agency (@AFP) October 20, 2020
The Commission mentioned in a statement "It is the hope of the Commission that the candidates will be respectful of each other's time, which will advance civil discourse for the benefit of the viewing public."
The rule change has been on the back of a chaotic first debate during which the presidential candidates constantly spoke over each other, with Trump relentlessly interrupting and attacking his Democratic rival. Trump interrupted so frequently that Biden at one point lost his patience and snapped: “Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential.”
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2020 07:59 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).