Title: CNN Debate Microphone Rule Served as 'Built-in Set of Guardrails' for Trump, Says Dana Bash

In a recent interview on "Pod Save America," CNN's Dana Bash reflected on her experience as a moderator during the June debate between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Bash, CNN's chief political correspondent and anchor, discussed how the default off-microphone rule implemented by the network acted as a "built-in set of guardrails" for Trump.

During the conversation with "Pod Save America" host Jon Favreau, Bash explained that the rules surrounding the debate were different this time. The microphone was only activated when it was each candidate's allotted time to speak. This limitation resulted in a decreased ability for candidates to interrupt or interject into their opponent's speaking time.

Bash acknowledged the strict nature of the rules, highlighting that each network has its own set of regulations. She described the preparatory process as structured and collaborative, comparing it to an "Avengers Assemble moment" where everyone at the network comes together to prepare for a significant event.

When asked about the process of preparing for the debate, Bash mentioned that typically they have individuals pretend to be the candidates in mock debates. However, for this debate, they did not conduct a mock debate as they did not anticipate the specific dynamics that played out during the actual event.

Reflecting on the debate, Bash noted that Trump was relatively well-behaved compared to previous debates, thanks to the microphone rule. She mentioned that the Biden team, who favored the implementation of the rule, realized in real-time that it acted as a built-in safeguard for Trump's behavior on stage.

Bash also revealed that they had prepared for the possibility of Trump speaking out of turn and considered how to handle a scenario where his words were picked up by the other microphone. However, due to the microphone being turned off when it wasn't Trump's turn to speak, such incidents did not occur.

By limiting Trump's ability to speak when his microphone was off, the rule actively prevented him from acting out, according to Bash. She shared that Trump didn't say much during Biden's speaking time, effectively reducing the opportunities for confrontations or interruptions.

In conclusion, the CNN debate microphone rule, which restricted candidates to speak only during their allotted time, served as a "built-in set of guardrails" for Trump. Despite the initial concerns raised by the Harris campaign, the rule ultimately resulted in a more restrained version of Trump during the debate. The effectiveness of this rule is now being considered by other networks, with ABC News also implementing a similar microphone rule in upcoming debates.

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