How To Make Presidential Debates Better Without Breaking Them

Voters are tired of the antiquated debate format. What would an ideal debate look like? (Hint: It's not just about more fact-checking.)

Voters are tired of the antiquated debate format. What would an ideal debate look like? (Hint: It's not just about more fact-checking.)

When the first presidential debate of the 2016 general election airs on Monday, we'll see Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump hew to a tried-and-true method of political discourse: prepared statements, timed responses, and scripted zingers at the ready—all under the strict guidance of experienced moderators. It's a familiar format, but some say it's also antiquated and obsolete, and doesn't really give voters any useful insight into the candidates or their policies. Others say the events of this election present such unprecedented issues that doing things the old way simply won't cut it anymore.

Read Full Story