How to fix these God-awful debates: No more journalists, no more moderators, no more questions

Here was my favorite headline of the week: 'Shell-shocked' CNBC staffers had long flight home Good. I hope they're having a long and horrible week too. When you're trusted with directing something as serious as a presidential debate, and instead you beclown yourself as these fools did, you don't deserve any rest. But this goes to a more fundamental problem about presidential debates in general, especially but not exclusively primary debates. When and why did we buy into the notion that debates must be led and directed by journalists prompting the participants with questions? Indeed, why do journalists get a participant role at all?