Without getting too much into how the two participants did, I thought the two moderators, Anderson Cooper and Martha Raddatz, really did a good job. That thought forced me to ask myself what my criteria for a good debate moderator were. In the past I probably leaned towards wanting the least intrusive moderator possible, who allowed the participants significant leeway in violating agreed upon rules and tried to avoid making themselves the story. Arguably that has never been a good model for a TV presidential debate moderator, but almost certainly, with Trump in play, it now is not. Cooper and Raddatz both had to work hard tonight, and had to inject themselves into things quite a bit, but I think it resulted in a much more fair and substantive exchange - and they actually covered quite a bit of ground. I suspect Trump partisans are pissed, but they oughtn't be; the moderators (and here I suppose I am getting into my view of how the participants did) probably saved the debate for Trump by shutting down several of his more unstable and incoherent rants during the first third of the debate, enforcing time limits, and allowing more questions to be asked. Trump did much better in the last two thirds of the debate - I would say that part of the show was basically a draw, after coming across as a mad man in the first half hour. If the perception of this debate is that it was close or a draw, it will only be because of the hard work and professionalism of the two moderators. I also wonder if it helps to have two moderators work this kind of circus.
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