In response to President Biden's recent debate performance, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell proposes a radical change: allowing President Biden to have staff on stage with him to answer questions during debates.
MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell proposed transforming presidential debates into a team effort in response to President Biden's recent performance, suggesting that Biden should have his staff answer questions.
"A candidate should be allowed to have staff members answer questions for them," O'Donnell stated. "That's the way the presidency actually works. The presidency does not involve oral exams and memory quizzes."
O'Donnell elaborated on his plan, suggesting candidates be permitted to have as many staff members as they want on stage during debates, all equipped with microphones. He argued that candidates should be free to confer with their staff at any time, allowing the audience to hear these interactions. This would enable viewers to assess the competence of the candidates' staff and observe how candidates process information.
He emphasized that this approach mirrors how the presidency functions, with officials like the Secretary of State often answering questions on behalf of the president. "The president is allowed to forget what the marginal income tax rate is on couples filing jointly with an income of $150,000," O'Donnell noted, highlighting that there's always someone available to provide the necessary information.
"People are allowed to look up whatever fact they need whenever they need it," O'Donnell said. "That's the way it works for senators, presidents, members of Congress, mayors, city councilors."
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