The first televised debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who are currently very close in the polls, is set to take place on November 5 in Georgia, a pivotal swing state. The debate will be moderated by CNN journalists Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and is expected to last 90 minutes. This debate is unique in that it is being held earlier than usual, before the party conventions, and was negotiated directly between the candidates’ teams and the broadcaster.
In an effort to avoid a repeat of the chaotic and insulting first debate in 2020, the network has implemented new rules to regulate the candidates’ exchanges. Microphones will be muted when the other candidate is speaking, and there will be no live audience present. Each candidate will have two minutes to respond to a question, followed by one minute for a rebuttal, and then another minute for a counter-rebuttal. There will be visual cues to alert the candidates when their time is running out.
Both Biden and Trump, aged 81 and 78 respectively, will be without prepared notes or statements on stage. They will be provided with a notepad and pen to jot down notes, but they will not be allowed to refer to any written material during the debate. The positions of the candidates on stage were determined by a coin toss between their teams, with Biden’s team winning the choice of podium position. However, Trump’s team was able to decide on the order of closing statements, giving Trump the final word.
Despite the new rules and regulations, there will be two commercial breaks during the debate, during which the candidates are not allowed to communicate with their campaign staff. This debate is the only face-off scheduled before the November election, with the next and final debate set for September 10 on ABC News. Millions of Americans are expected to tune in to watch this high-stakes showdown between the current President, a Democrat, and his Republican predecessor, with the outcome potentially shaping the course of the upcoming election. The outcome of this debate could have a significant impact on the race for the White House.
