That Presidential and other political debates are more about image and perception of the candidate's behavior is a shame. And no, I am not so naive as to hold politicians to their campaign promises. Politicians are known to lie or rather tell people what they want to hear in order to get elected.
Your desire for a debate that is completely unscripted, and one where the candidates do not have an idea what will be asked is unrealistic. I agree in more recent debates candidates have gotten out of line and their mikes should be turned off when they exceed the time limits. Having said this, based on the 2020 Presidential debates, which candidate do you think is the most likely to go off topic and which candidate is more likely to go overtime as the Debates Commission said they would do during the 2020 debates of which there were only two between Biden and Trump and I believe one between Pence and Harris who were more civil, if I remember correctly.
The debates should be unscripted & no teleprompter - yeah to time limits.
Biden wouldn't have a Fucking clue without a script or ear piece & teleprompter
He'd struggle to answer his name, mind he could tell all about khol,Mitterrand,Nelson,
Gengis Khan & of course the Cannibals & how his son died in Vietnam.