Why not have a debate in writing? No need for live candidates that way...
Look here's the deal...most people don't give a rip about the debates because generally they are boring, stuffy snoozefests with suits spouting rhetoric. Last night was a good example of that, and only the die hards among us sat through the entire tedious ordeal.
If we want the general public, who don't really pay a lot of attention to politics (Oh, I've heard of that guy, I'll vote for him!), to give a damn about elections and be interested in having their voice heard, then we want emotion brought into it.
When people feel like they have a voice they will get more involved.