{Does the President’s staff have any say in setting up these debates?}
Indeed, cannot understand why they didn’t insist that someone like Lou Dobbs or Maria Bartiromo moderate at least one of the debates!!!
The same characters who approve of CNN consider Chris Wallace a "right winger."
I have no problem with Trump being grilled by a hostile moderator; he can handle it and he’ll come out looking better than the moderator. What they really should do is have co-moderators, one selected by each campaign. The moderator selected by Trump’s campaign questions Biden and vice-versa. Biden’s moderator has his/her mic muted while Biden is being questioned and during his response and likewise with Trump’s moderator during Trump’s responses.
You find out nothing about a candidate when all they get are softball questions with no follow up. If you had someone like Hannity or Limbaugh questioning Biden, he’d be exposed. Trump is used to the hostile treatment; he would come out just fine.