Steve Doocy Against Muting Mics: “The Guy Who Pushes It, You’re Going to Wonder What Was His Agenda”

“Fox and Friends” host Steve Doocy says he’s against muting mics despite criticism of President Donald Trump’s behavior during Tuesday night’s debate. The debate was characterized by numerous interruptions from Trump, who at times appeared to be sparring with moderator Chris Wallace.

“We’re at the point where after the debate Tuesday night, the President said he was able to hold Joe Biden accountable for his 47 years in power. And now, because it was so interruptory [sic], the Presidential Commission on Debates is considering changing the rules, changing the structure. They might change the amount of time a president can speak or the moderator [can] actually have a mute button,” Doocy said.

“You know, in this country we want to hear what both of those men have to say,” he continued. “Do you think a mute button is a good idea? And then the guy who pushes it, you’re going to wonder what was his agenda, it becomes way too complicated, doesn’t it?”

Wallace, who anchors “Fox News Sunday,” said he did not consider President Trump would flout the rules the way he did.

“I’ve read some of the reviews. I know people think, well, gee, I didn’t jump in soon enough,” he said. “I guess I didn’t realize — and there was no way you could, hindsight being 20/20 — that this was going to be the president’s strategy, not just for the beginning of the debate but the entire debate.”

“You’re reluctant — as somebody who has said from the very beginning that I wanted to be as invisible as possible, and to enable them to talk — to rise to the point at which you begin to interject more and more,” he added. “First to say, ‘Please don’t interrupt,’ then ‘Please obey the rules,’ and third, ‘This isn’t serving the country well.’ Those are all tough steps at real time, at that moment, on that stage.”

Wallace also expressed doubt that muting Trump’s microphone would have solved the problem.

“As a practical matter, even if the president’s microphone had been shut, he still could have continued to interrupt, and it might well have been picked up on Biden’s microphone, and it still would have disrupted the proceedings in the hall,” he said.

Alan Ryland

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.