It is a weird, high-stakes ritual we do every four years. Two people who want the most powerful job on Earth stand behind lecterns, and in the middle, someone else has to try and keep them from talking over each other. Presidential debate moderators basically have the hardest job in journalism. They aren't just there to ask questions; they're the referees, the timekeepers, and, increasingly, the lightning rods for everyone’s political anger.
Honestly, if a moderator does a perfect job, nobody remembers their name the next day. But if they trip up? They become the headline. People still talk about Candy Crowley’s fact-check in 2012 like it was a seismic event. You’ve probably seen the clips. It's that moment where the person in the middle stops being a wallflower and starts being a participant. And that’s exactly where the drama lives.
The Shift from the Commission to the Networks
For decades, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) ran the show. They were the ones who picked the moderators, set the rules, and made sure the podiums were exactly the right height. But 2024 changed the game. The "traditional" way of doing things kinda blew up when the campaigns decided to bypass the commission entirely and deal directly with networks like CNN and ABC.
When CNN hosted the June 2024 debate with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, the vibe was different. No audience. Muted microphones. It was a sterile, high-pressure environment designed to prevent the "Will you shut up, man?" chaos of 2020. This shift matters because it changed what we expect from presidential debate moderators. Instead of just managing a room, they were managing a broadcast.
The criteria for picking these people used to be simple:
- Extensive live TV experience (you can’t freeze when 50 million people are watching).
- Deep familiarity with the issues.
- A track record of "fairness," whatever that means in a polarized country.
But now, the networks are the ones calling the shots. This means the moderators are often the "faces" of that network. When David Muir and Linsey Davis stepped up for the ABC debate, they weren't just representing a non-partisan commission; they were representing ABC News. That adds a whole other layer of scrutiny.
The Impossible Job: To Fact-Check or Not?
This is the big debate-within-the-debate. Should a moderator step in when a candidate says something that isn't true?
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There are basically two schools of thought here. One side says the moderator is just a "traffic cop." Their job is to ask the question, enforce the time, and let the other candidate handle the fact-checking. If Candidate A lies, Candidate B should call them out. That’s the "pure" debate format.
The other side says that’s a cop-out. They argue that if a moderator lets a blatant falsehood slide, they are failing the voters. During the 2024 cycle, we saw this tension play out in real-time. In the CNN debate, Tapper and Bash stayed out of it. They asked sharp questions, but they didn't "umpire" the answers. They let the candidates squabble. Later, at the ABC debate, the moderators were more active in correcting the record on specific claims.
Neither approach makes everyone happy. If you fact-check, one side calls you biased. If you don't, the other side calls you lazy. It’s a literal no-win situation.
Why the Format Changes Everything
Moderators are often blamed for a bad debate, but they are frequently just following a "Memorandum of Understanding" (MOU) that was negotiated for weeks by the campaigns. These documents are incredibly specific. They cover everything from the temperature of the room to whether the candidates can have a pen and paper.
In 2024, the muted microphones were the biggest "moderator tool" since the invention of the buzzer. It changed the power dynamic. Suddenly, the moderator had the "kill switch." But even with that power, candidates like Donald Trump and Joe Biden (and later Kamala Harris) found ways to pivot.
"The quote that I always think is, 'If anybody is quoting me, the moderator, afterwards, I have failed.'" — Jim Lehrer, legendary PBS moderator.
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Lehrer moderated 12 debates. Twelve! He was the gold standard because he was basically invisible. But the world has changed. In an era of social media clips and "gotcha" moments, being invisible is harder than ever. People want to see the moderator grill the candidates. They want the "master" moderator who holds them accountable.
Moments That Defined the Role
If you want to understand how a moderator can change history, you have to look at the "oops" moments.
- Max Frankel (1976): Gerald Ford claimed there was "no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe." Frankel, clearly surprised, asked a follow-up to give Ford a chance to fix it. Ford doubled down. It probably cost him the election.
- Bernard Shaw (1988): He started a debate by asking Michael Dukakis if he would support the death penalty if his own wife were raped and murdered. It was a brutal, personal question. Dukakis gave a cold, academic answer, and his poll numbers tanked.
- Candy Crowley (2012): She famously corrected Mitt Romney on when President Obama called the Benghazi attack an "act of terror." Republicans were furious, arguing she stepped out of her lane.
These aren't just trivia. They show that a single question—or a single interruption—can shift the entire narrative of a campaign.
What Actually Makes a "Good" Moderator?
Experts like John Koch from Vanderbilt University suggest that the most important job isn't the first question—it’s the follow-up.
Anyone can read a prepared question about the economy. A great moderator listens to the answer, realizes the candidate dodged the question, and asks it again. And again. During the 2024 CNN debate, Dana Bash had to ask Trump three times whether he would accept the election results. That’s the job. It’s not about being "mean"; it’s about being persistent.
The "Master" moderator (as Brookings Institution calls them) does three things:
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- Controls the pace: Doesn't let one person suck all the air out of the room.
- Demands Plan B: When a candidate gives a "lofty" policy idea, the moderator asks, "Okay, but what if Congress says no?"
- Stays calm: If the candidates start shouting, the moderator has to be the adult in the room.
Tips for Watching the Next Debate
The next time you sit down to watch a debate, don't just look at the candidates. Watch the person in the middle.
- Notice the follow-ups: Are they letting the candidate get away with a scripted "talking point" or are they pushing for a real answer?
- Watch the clock: Are the moderators being fair with the "rebuttal" time?
- Check the "pivot": See if the moderator lets the candidate change the subject. If a question is about healthcare and the candidate starts talking about the border, does the moderator bring them back?
Your Debate Watchlist
If you're really into the "art" of the debate, you should look up these specific historical moments to see the different styles of presidential debate moderators:
- The 1960 Nixon-Kennedy Debate: See how Howard K. Smith played it almost entirely straight, barely interrupting at all.
- The 1992 Town Hall: Watch how Carole Simpson managed a room full of actual voters. It’s a completely different skill set than a one-on-one.
- The 2020 First Debate: Watch Chris Wallace try (and struggle) to keep control of a debate that was spiraling into chaos. It’s a masterclass in how hard the job actually is.
The role of the moderator is constantly evolving. We've moved from the "invisible" journalists of the 60s to the "fact-checkers" of the 2010s, to the "broadcast managers" of the 2020s. Whatever happens in the next election, you can bet the person sitting in the middle will be just as nervous as the people at the podiums.
To get a better sense of how these rules are actually written down, search for the "Memorandum of Understanding" from the most recent election cycle. It’s a dry read, but it explains exactly why the moderators act the way they do. You’ll see that often, the "frustrating" things they do are actually required by the contracts signed by the candidates themselves.
Next Steps for You:
If you're curious about the specifics of the 2024 rules, go to the official ABC News or CNN press rooms and look for their "Debate Rules" releases. Comparing the two will show you exactly how different networks try to "solve" the problem of moderator control. You can also look up the Annenberg Public Policy Center’s reports on "Democratizing the Debates" to see how experts think we could actually make these things better for the voters.