(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) CNN finalized its rules on June 15, 2024, for the first 2024 presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
The 90-minute debate, hosted by the network’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta, will have rules that have never been implemented before for previous presidential debates in American history, such as muting microphones and barring a live studio audience, CNN reported.
The network said that two commercial breaks would interrupt the debate, adding that campaign staff would be prevented from interacting with candidates during this time.
Both Trump and Biden would be banned from using cheat sheets, which may pose a problem for Biden because he was previously caught using prepared notecards to answer pre-screened questions. On the other hand, Trump would only benefit from it since he doesn’t need help from a teleprompter and cards.
Even though it was previously reported that Trump and Biden would sit at a table, CNN announced that both candidates would appear at individual podiums. A coin toss will determine which podium each candidate will use. Trump and Biden will receive a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water because any other prop would not be permitted on stage.
Candidates will speak one at a time so the microphones will be muted. CNN has not explicitly stated whether Tapper and Bash will be in charge of muting the microphones. Instead, the network said moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure civilized discussion.”
In addition, there will be no live studio audience during the executive showdown.
Former Barack Obama adviser and MSNBC contributor Jennifer Palmieri recently expressed her surprise about Trump accepting the rules of the upcoming debates.
“I don’t see anything in the rules that is a benefit to Trump, and they all seem to be something that would help, that would make it a better environment, for Biden… I am still surprised that they said yes right away to CNN, they said yes right away to ABC and that they’ve agreed to these rules,” she said.
Ex-Obama Adviser 'Surprised' Trump Would Agree To Debate Rules That 'All' Create 'Better Environment For Biden' pic.twitter.com/pGugUIwMsZ
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) June 17, 2024
