For what is arguably the most important job in the world, why are we content to decide who to hire based on how well they do debating prepared questions on stage?

When we hire new employees, we interview about what they would do in certain situations, test them on proficiency, and sometimes even bring them in for a probationary period to see how well they adjust to the team and culture.

For the next Presidential Debate, I'd love to see a simulation of presidential situations to see who really has the stamina and temperment to get the job done. Each candidate brings their own generals and policy wonks and we run models of projected results.

We have 2 Air Force Ones. They are ready made self contained environments to test the mettle of our job applicants to see how well they perform in real life situations. We don't even need the real VC-25, but you get the idea.

We load each one up with the candidate, their advisors, the press, and standard crew and provisions for an international trip, park them in the hanger at Andrews, plug in the APU, and tell them to settle in for a summit in Zubrowka. Halfway through the flight, we'll call them on the secure line with news that a US Soldier has just been shot in Qumar, there's been a bombing at San Andreo, or there's been an incident with the VP and we don't know if he's dead or alive...

What do they do? Who do they call? As updates filter through on a real time basis based on their calls and actions, how does it affect their previous decisions? If they turned the plane around, what do they tell their counterparts in Zubrowka? What do they say to their counterparts in the region where the theoretical incident occured? What do they tell the press corps and when? Do they take a quick nap when able or tell the stewards to keep the coffee coming?

or....we tell the candidates that's what might occur and let them sit in the plane for 8 hours without anything happening....Do they blow up when the captain announces they've arrived in Nebelsbad without incident? Did they stay up the entire time and now can't function? What if the plan was actually to have them meet with their counterpart at the summit where they need to negotiate securing the release of US hostages, collaborate on sanctions, or broker a new trade deal and they haven't prepped for the meeting in Zubrowka whatsoever...and that's the real test? What if the results of the summit were actually meant to either be the catalyst that creates a crisis on the flight home, or the pivot that adverts it? Maybe the first call was actually an honest accident and diverting the flight is what causes a bigger crisis?

Of course the hits just keep coming. The purpose of the simulation is to push the candidates to their limits and see how the manage in physically and ethically difficult situations. We'll mount a bell at the front of the plane for them to ring if they decide to give up before the 24/48/72 hours that they've signed up for are up, but if they do ring it, they must also agree to step down and quit the campaign.

Seriously, can someone in unscripted with political contacts pitch this already?