Debate or Play?

Watching Now I began to see the corruption of the U.S. presidential debate. They had a story that was telling the story behind these debates and the commission that oversees them. It's appalling! The best case was just looking at the old debates and making a comparison. In fact this is the first time the "Memorandum of Understanding" has been made public. The heads of the republican and Democratic parties are the ones who run the commission that sponsors the debates. Needless to say they exclude third parties. But they go further and make it so that it really isn't a debate but a show. How can you have a town hall meeting and not allow the questioner to follow up! There's a damn good reason to follow up: politicians don't give straight answers.

In the past it was the non-partisan League of Woman Voters who sponsored the debates. They made sure it was a debate. Hostile to both candidates positions so that they have to sell their view (not repeat more unchallenged retorick). But there is one, small advantage: idiotic puns like those of Reagan aren't allowed and so people don't decide on their ruler from a joke!! (I don't like Reagan and more so since the Republicans saintified him!).
What do you call it when two people talk about issues, but don't address each other? I call it a simultaneous speech. You?