US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are set to face off against each other on Thursday, June 27, 2024, at 9pm ET (Friday 1am GMT) for the first of two televised debates that could prove critical in their tight rematch race to win the White House in November
Not only is it the first-ever matchup between a sitting President and a former one, but it’s also the first debate for either candidate in this year’s election.
Additionally, it will be the earliest general election debate in history as well as the first-ever televised general election presidential debate hosted by a single news outlet after both campaigns ditched the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which had organized every matchup since 1988.
The debate is set to take place in U.S news agency, CNN’s studios in Atlanta and will be moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
According to the U.S news agency, only Biden and Trump met its conditions for participating in the debate: appear on enough state ballots to potentially win the presidency and receive at least 15 per cent in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr did not make the cut.
Trump and Biden will have a pen, notepad, and water on stage but with no props or prepared notes allowed.
While there will also be no opening statements, instead, the candidates will present a two-minute closing statement at the conclusion.
The debate will start with a question, followed by two minutes for each candidate to answer.
One-minute replies will follow along with additional time at the discretion of the moderators and the pair will be given visual cues, such as flashing red lights, to indicate their remaining speaking time.
Trump aides see Biden as prone to verbal slip-ups that could amplify voter concerns about the president’s age.
Meanwhile, Biden aides think debates could hurt Trump by exposing his volatility and sometimes changing positions on issues, such as abortion.
Biden’s campaign is hoping to talk about abortion and Trump’s about immigration, but CNN’s moderators will decide the questions.
Muted Microphone Rule To Benefit Trump
Aiming to prevent any type of disorder that hampered their debate in 2020, the U.S news network stated that microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.
A decision was also made not to film the debate in front of an audience to help minimize any potential distractions coming from them.
Both Biden and Trump agreed to the new rules.
According to experts, new rule of muted microphones in the imminent presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump could work in the latter’s favor.
“If Trump remains calm and collected, they [the Biden campaign] have got problems,” Judd Gregg, a Republican former senator from New Hampshire told a news agency.
Some believed the fresh debate rules could even work to Trump’s advantage if he tries to interrupt Biden as much as he did last time.
Philippe Reines, a Democratic political consultant who helped former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton prepare for debates with Trump in 2016, said, “The muting thing is great for us and democracy. But they’ll be able to hear each other, and there will be some weird moments.”
Reines added that Trump won’t simply sit there keeping quiet but instead “continue to talk”; words that Biden will hear in the studio and may force him to respond while the millions of people watching can hear him on the microphone.
“Biden will hear him, and Biden will respond at some point. You’ll have this weird situation where Biden will look like he is blurting out words for no reason,” he said.
Another U.S news agency, ABC will host the second debate on September 10, 2024.
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