I think a good mod would have made them stick to the questions asked.
Americans tend not to like that kind of moderation. We call it "snooty" or "arrogant," or even a kind of bias. It's a problem with journalism in general in this country; it's wishy-washy and non-commital. If a politician says the worlld is flat, journalists write "so and so said 'the world is flat,' while others dispute this claim." A British journalist, on the other hand, would tear them apart.