Time for Bi-Party Debates?

The 2016 presidential election has multiple debates within each party before the primaries and caucuses in each party. However, what if we had debates before the primaries and caucuses with candidates from both parties in them.

Imagine a debate stage with 10 candidates. The top 5 Democrats and top 5 Republicans (granted, the Democrat field is smaller, but having the same amount from each party would make it more interesting and 10 worked for the first Republican debate) in the presidential election would go on stage and debate it out.

This strategy might actually work. The Republicans, anyway, were talking bad about Hillary in their 1st debate and in general this election and the Democrats have been attacking the Republicans. What if you combined both of them on a single stage?

It would be harder to personally attack Hillary Clinton when she is standing a few spaces across from you and ready to level a counterattack. Meanwhile, you could show the voters of your party that you can take care of both the inner party problems and counter any rebuttals from the other party.

This would show the potential voters which candidate could actually make a point and explain it to someone on the other side of the political spectrum while convincing members of their own party. That is a trait that should be considered when each party chooses their nominee in their respective conventions in the summer of 2016.

This system could work out. Maybe about a week before the Iowa Caucus or New Hampshire Primary, one of these debates could be held in one of these states. That way, the voters will get to personally see each of the major candidates and then know who to vote for by the end of the debate.

However, this probably wouldn't work out due to differences between the DNC and RNC and the fact that each party already have debates around the same time.

Come the 2020 or 2024 election, though, I would like to see this system implemented. It will be a better judge of the candidates than any normal inter-party debate ever could be.