No more "debates!" (Please.)

The day of the debate is gone.  We can't have them any more.  They don't work.  They don't help.  They have become useless in terms of helping the public responsibly choose a candidate.  

• 90 minutes is too short to adequately handle the many complex issues that we need to understand.  A large percent of each 90 minute debate was spent with the moderator sputtering through the "we have to move on" speeches.
• Debates don't work if neither candidate respects the rules of the debate.  They address each other and interrupt each other and shout down the moderator if they feel they must do so to appear assertive.
• Who decided that reporting or reading the news were the same skills that one needs to moderate a debate?  There are still a few high schools and colleges that teach and judge debates.  Why not use those people to moderate candidates' debates?  Doesn't the scope and scale of a presidential race warrant the use of professionals?  I'm pretty sure no one tunes into a televised debate because of the celebrity moderator.
• Then, sad to say, is the question of whether the American electorate can make use of a debate without judging the candidates by foolish criteria like who wears the bigger flag lapel pin, or who is more respectful or too respectful, or looks up or looks down.  I had an interesting experience with the first debate because I was behind the wheel during the first half, and listened to it on the radio, then saw the second half on TV.  It made a huge difference.  When I watched the second half all I could see was Obama looking down.  When I listened to the first half all I could hear was Romney frantically sputtering like he just chugged 6 Red Bulls.  Are either of those experiences worthy of me deciding my vote?  I don't think so.

The supposed point of having a debate is that the format will impose fairness, equality, and sound thinking.  If that ever worked I don't know.  But I'm pretty convinced that it doesn't work now.