In a historic moment for the 2024 election season, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are set to participate in the first general election debate in Atlanta. This matchup is unprecedented, as it marks the first time a sitting president and a former president will face-off in a debate. The event is also significant because it is the first debate for either candidate in this year’s election, and it is taking place early in the general election campaign cycle before the formal nomination of either candidate. The debate will be moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash and will start at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The debate will be broadcast live on CNN’s network, as well as on CNN International, CNN en Español, and CNN Max. Viewers can also stream the event without a login on CNN’s website. The setting for the debate is CNN’s studios in Atlanta, and there will be no audience present. Georgia, once a Republican stronghold, was a pivotal battleground in the 2020 election, and both parties are gearing up for another closely contested race in the state. Trump also faces an indictment in Georgia related to his efforts to overturn Biden’s victory in the state based on false voter fraud claims.
Only two candidates, Biden and Trump, will be on stage for the debate. Initially, there was uncertainty about whether third-party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would be included, but they did not meet the qualification criteria set by the debate commission. The candidates needed to reach at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters to qualify for the debate. Trump did not participate in the GOP primary debates, making this his first debate of the election cycle. Biden also did not debate any of the Democrats challenging him.
The second debate is scheduled to be hosted by ABC on Sept. 10, with details about the location and moderators yet to be announced. Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CBS News to debate her eventual rival on either July 23 or Aug. 13. The upcoming debates will continue to provide voters with insight into the candidates’ policies, platforms, and leadership styles as the 2024 election season progresses. Stay tuned for more updates and analysis on the presidential debates as the campaign heats up.
