7:50 p.m. ET, October 21, 2020
Muted mics "just enforcement" of previous rules, says debate commissioner
From CNN's Josiah Ryan
John Danforth, a member of Commission on Presidential Debates
CNN
John Danforth, a member of the Commission on Presidential Debates, brushed aside President Trump's criticism of changes made to the format of Thursday's final debate, saying their plan to mute the microphone of one candidate while the other candidate is speaking during some portions of the debate are merely enforcement of existing rules agreed to by both campaigns during the summer.
"Back in the summer when the... rules of the debate were negotiated by the two parties, it was agreed by everybody that at the beginning of the 15 minute segment each candidate would be able to speak uninterrupted for period of two minutes," said Danforth, a former Republican senator who has served on the bipartisan commission since 1994.
“It’s the same rule, just an enforcement of that rule," he continued, speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper today.
On Tuesday, Trump railed agains the commission's announcement saying of the commission, “these are not good people."
"This commission — a lot of funny things go on with them," Trump added.
When asked whether he would try to interrupt Joe Biden less during Thursday’s debate, Trump said he “may do that” adding, “there’s a lot of people that say let him talk because he loses his train — he loses his mind frankly.”
Speaking with CNN today, Danforth said he believed the first presidential debate, which devolved into chaos, with the President frequently interrupting the former vice president, was a missed opportunity for the American people.
"I think it was not a good opportunity for the American people to be educated about the positions of the two candidates on various issues," he said. "People felt they were deprived of what they should have gotten out of that debate."