OK, in a political season unlike any other, with the possible exception of the every-four-year-refrain that this is the “most important election” of your lifetime, maybe the clear winner was the process Thursday night.
That’s right, after the first Trump-Biden face-to-face matchup made everyone uncomfortable, the changes to the debate format Thursday were universally praised.
Regardless of who you thought won or lost, who scored points and who rambled pointlessly, the two-minute warnings – and the hammer of the silenced mics – turned what was three weeks ago a shouting match below the standards of most barrooms back into a political conversation – a real debate.
Not sure the performances in those two-minute windows did enough to change many voters’ minds, but the format had to get bipartisan support.
Speaking of the election …