Image Credit: SAUL LOEB,JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images 
The debate commission announced Monday that it will silence the microphone of the candidate who does not have the floor during the segments at the start of each debate topic, leading critics to argue that the move is designed to help Joe Biden.
The debate commission claims that the rule change will allow for “additional structure”, noting that “The Commission has determined that it is appropriate to adopt measures intended to promote adherence to agreed upon rules and inappropriate to make changes to those rules.”:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Debate commission adopts new rules to mute microphones to allow Trump, Biden 2 minutes of uninterrupted time per segment.
— Mike Balsamo (@MikeBalsamo1) October 19, 2020
Full statement from @debates: pic.twitter.com/jqvKxnehTZ
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) October 19, 2020
Allowing a mute button to be used will no doubt favour Joe Biden, given that Trump is bound to constantly bring up the Ukraine deal scandal, as well as further lurid details about Hunter Biden’s laptop.
New debate rules have been enacted, and the debate moderator has been given a mute button, specifically of course, to silence President Trump.
If candidates can be muted on a whim, is it even a “debate” any more?
1. Pathetic. 2. If you're not allowed to interact with your opponent, is it even really a debate anymore? 3. The @debates Commission might as well make it official and join the Biden campaign. https://t.co/lnQQhNOij5
— Andrew Surabian (@Surabees) October 19, 2020
The Trump campaign responded to the rule change with the following statement, also highlighting how foreign policy has been ridiculously dropped as a topic:
“President Trump is committed to debating Joe Biden regardless of last minute rule changes from the biased commission in their latest attempt to provide advantage to their favored candidate.
This was supposed to be the foreign policy debate, so the President still looks forward to forcing Biden to answer the number one relevant question of whether he’s been compromised by the Communist Party of China.
Why did Biden allow his son Hunter to sell access to him while he was vice president, and why were there Chinese payment arrangements for Joe himself worked out by Hunter and his sketchy partners?
If the media won’t ask Joe Biden these questions, the President will, and there will be no escape for Biden.”
The debate is set to be moderated by Kristen Welker, who has direct ties to the Democrat Party.
Welker appears to have deactivated or deleted her Twitter account after voters raised questions about pro-Democrat partisanship.
President Trump commented on the decision to appoint Welker:
She’s always been terrible & unfair, just like most of the Fake News reporters, but I’ll still play the game. The people know! How’s Steve Scully doing? https://t.co/uS3EWzfFPy
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 17, 2020