Jill Lawrence: “In theory, debates are the gold standard of journalists holding presidential candidates to account and voters getting to assess their policy views and political skills, all in an unscripted setting. And they can be valuable, no question. The 2024 Republican primary debates helped millions get familiar with this year’s cast of auditioners, for better (Haley and Chris Christie) and worse (Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy).
”“But Trump’s absence is what allowed that to happen. His media appearances—in debates, town halls, video interviews, and even trials in courtrooms—are loaded with grievance, insults and, worst of all, distortions and outright falsehoods. He steamrolls moderators, journalists, rivals, and judges by interrupting, ignoring time limits and legal procedure, talking over people and trying to drown them out, and generally violating every rule designed to keep things organized and civil.”