The campaigns of the current US president, Joe Biden, and the probable Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump (2017-2021), have accepted the strict rules established by the CNN network for the first televised debate prior to the presidential elections in November. These rules include muting microphones when not speaking and prohibiting prewritten notes. This debate represents a new confrontation between both politicians after the November 2020 elections.
The debate is scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta and will be moderated by CNN journalists Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Lasting 90 minutes, the event will have two commercial breaks, as reported by CNN this Saturday. In addition, it has been specified that campaign teams will not be able to communicate with their candidates during the debate.
Both contenders have agreed to appear on identical podiums, and their placements will be determined by a coin toss. The accepted rules also stipulate that microphones will remain off at all times, except when it is the relevant candidate’s turn to speak.
No props or pre-written notes will be permitted on stage, although each candidate will be provided with a pen, notepad, and bottle of water.
As in previous debates, moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce time and ensure a civil discussion,” the network stated.
To qualify for CNN to participate in the debate, candidates must be eligible for the presidency under the Constitution and have filed a formal declaration of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. This also applies to minority candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein.
All contestants must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the threshold of 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency and receive at least 15% support in four national polls. Currently, only Biden and Trump meet these requirements, while Kennedy, the third most popular candidate, has yet to meet this threshold.
Last April, the five main television networks in the United States sent a joint letter to Biden and Trump asking them to participate in televised debates, given rumors that an agreement would not be reached to hold these events this year. Traditionally, the debates have been organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates, but this year the television networks have taken the initiative directly.
The second and final presidential debate, hosted by ABC, will take place in September. Televised presidential debates have been a tradition in every US election cycle since 1976.
