Commission on Presidential Debates to mute candidates' mics during portions of debate

The Commission on Presidential Debates on Monday announced plans to mute one of the presidential candidates' microphones during portions of the debate when his rival is supposed to have uninterrupted speaking time.

The commission said that each candidate is slated to have two uninterrupted minutes at the start of each 15 minute debate section. During this time, the opposing candidate's microphone will be muted.

"Under the agreed upon debate rules, each candidate is to have two minutes of uninterrupted time to make remarks at the beginning of each 15 minute segment of the debate," the commission wrote in a Monday statement. "These remarks are to be followed by a period of open discussion. Both campaigns this week again reaffirmed their agreement to the two-minute, uninterrupted rule."

During these two-minute intervals only the person who holds the floor will have their mic open.

"For the balance of each segment, which by design is intended to be dedicated to open discussion, both candidates' microphones will be open," the Commission said.