Howto improve debates

Threeways to improve political debates by providing more thoughtful and focused presentations for viewers:

1. Two hours prior to the live televised debate, give the two participants the questions the moderator has prepared. The participants will then have one hour off camera to think about and record their two-minute responses to each question. Make it clear that only the first two minutes of the recorded response will be used in the televised debate.

2. One hour before the debate, give the recorded responses to the participant on the other side. The participants will then have an additional hour off camera to formulate and record their two-minute replies.

3. Each sequence in the actual televised debate will showthe recorded responses and replies to a moderator’s question followed by six minutes of live follow-up conversation among the moderator and participants. During each sequence in the televised debate, the moderator’s original question will be superimposed on the TV screen.

— Richard Badger, Chicago