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**OCTOBER 1, 2020**

Meyerson on TAP

More Proposals for New Debate Rules

The Commission on Presidential Debates has plunged itself into deep
thought about how to prevent a recurrence of President Trump's
disruptions in the two remaining presidential one-on-ones. The option of
shutting off a candidate's mic if he persists in interrupting his
opponent seems the most sensible, but according to a report

in today's

**New York Times**, one factor that may hinder the commission from
taking this step, other than timidity, is that cutting off a mic "can be
complex from a television production standpoint." As events would have
it, my

**Prospect**colleague David Dayen, who worked in television production
for two decades, has spelled out

in deliberately simple English how easy shutting down a mic actually is,
and how TV sound engineers adjust sound levels all the time.

Nonetheless, should this still prove too burdensome in the
commission's view, I have some modest further suggestions as to how
they can deal with Trumpian violations that don't involve the
high-tech conundrums involved in shutting off a mic.

First, the Quicksand Solution: If the moderator has to caution Trump
more than once about his interruptions, the part of the stage on which
Trump is standing will sink to a level where neither he nor his hair is
visible above his podium. Alternatively, the podium can be raised so
that Trump and hair are no longer visible.

Second, the Trapdoor Solution: Should Trump be undeterred by sinking
beneath the podium, the floor beneath Trump simply opens up, and he
rapidly descends to the basement.

Third, the Donald Giovanni Solution: Should Trump somehow clamber back
to the stage, a second trapdoor opens and Trump descends into the Fires
of Hell.

None of these, happily, involve the technological complexities of
altering sound levels.

~ HAROLD MEYERSON

Follow Harold Meyerson on Twitter

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