Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Photo: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images
Faced with constant interruptions and shouting from President Trump, moderator Chris Wallace failed to maintain control over the 2020 campaign's first general election presidential debate.
- At one point, the back and forth between Trump and Wallace got so bad, that Wallace asked Trump, "You know, sir, if you wanna switch seats, we could do that."
Why it matters: The hectic nature of the first debate caused an instant debate over how the remaining debates could be conducted for the 2020 campaign.
Be smart: The longtime Fox News anchor is considered one of the best in the business, and he's respected by both political parties.
- His failure to stop Trump from talking over both him and Joe Biden had political pundits debating Tuesday night whether future debates should allow moderators the ability to cut the candidates' mics.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer said it "will certainly raise a lot of questions about the future of the presidential debate between these two candidates."
- "I wouldn't be surprised if this is the last presidential debate between the president and the former vice president."
- "Clearly this debate was an embarrassment for the United States of America."
CBS' Norah O'Donnell asked, "Can we really have two more of these debates, after what we saw tonight?"
The bottom line: Critics noted that Wallace failed to call out Trump for violating debate rules for more than an hour into the debate. Wallace tried, beginning early on in the debate, to stop the president's interruptions.
- But his efforts ultimately proved moot, as Trump mostly dominated the debate with interjections.