One Thing ABC Debate Moderators Should Insist On During Presidential Debate

During any debate, the moderators focus on different topics throughout the debate and choose the time frame and sequence the candidates will discuss a particular topic.

The idea is to focus the candidates on one particular issue at a time, let's say healthcare, and keep their comments directly on the topic so the American people can judge how they would handle these issues.

In this case, ABC News is hosting Tuesday's debate , and the rules state, "Microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate. Only the moderators will be permitted to ask questions. Each candidate will be allotted two minutes to answer each question with a two-minute rebuttal and an additional minute for a follow-up, clarification, or response."

World News Tonight" anchor and managing editor David Muir and ABC News Live "Prime" anchor Linsey Davis will serve as moderators and their focus as such should be to attempt to force candidates to stay on topic.

Let me repeat: Their focus should be to force candidates to stay on topic.

That's not a fact check. It's necessary.

CNN's awful presidential debate taught us this much.

It's the least the moderators can do so that the US public has an actual debate to view instead of off topic soliloquies that mimic campaign rally rants, two minutes at a time that contain no substance.

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