The United States 2024 election is approaching, and with it comes the return of US President Joe Biden and former US President Donald Trump to the debate stage, but this time under a significant new set of rules. This first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle, hosted by CNN, will be held in a studio at the media house’s Atlanta headquarters and marks a departure from the traditional format.
The debate, scheduled for Thursday night (local time), will be the first in-person showdown of the 2024 campaign between Biden and Trump. Both campaigns agreed to a series of rules aimed at ensuring a more substantive and orderly discussion. One notable change is the muting of candidates’ microphones unless it’s their turn to speak, effectively eliminating the possibility of interruptions that plagued previous debates.
Following a coin toss, Biden chose to be on the right side of viewers’ screens on the podium, while Trump will get the last word. “While no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water,” the CNN network said. Additionally, there will be no live studio audience, a first since the 1960 debate between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, during which the candidates will not be able to consult with their teams. Moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will pose questions to the candidates, who will have two minutes to respond, followed by one-minute rebuttals. A red light will warn each candidate when they have five seconds remaining, turning solid red when their time is up. However, it remains unclear if a candidate’s microphone will be cut off if they continue speaking past their allotted time.
Experts believe these new rules could create a more issue-focused debate. Brandon Rottinghaus, a professor of political science at the University of Houston, told ABC News, “Despite the fact that these rules are pretty strict, we’re going to see some fireworks. How will Joe Biden handle a kind of off-the-leash Donald Trump? How bold will Trump be?” Presidential historian Douglas Brinkley added, “I can’t think of a better scenario for Joe Biden. Whereas, Trump plays better in front of a crowd. A shut-off microphone for Trump with no audience seems to me a demotion from his grandiose campaign style.”
The debate comes at a time when both candidates are facing significant legal and political challenges. Trump was recently found guilty of 34 criminal charges in New York, becoming the first US president in history to be convicted of felony crimes. Biden’s son, Hunter, was convicted on felony gun charges in Delaware and faces a second federal trial in September over failing to pay his taxes.
Biden, at 81, is the oldest sitting president in US history, and if elected for a second term, he would exit office at 86. Trump, at 78, has criticised Biden’s mental ability, even speculating that Biden should take a cognitive test. The debate will likely address these personal and legal issues, as well as key topics such as the state of the economy, immigration policy, and international politics.
The debate marks a critical moment less than five months from Election Day, with recent national surveys showing Biden and Trump virtually tied. The absence of a live audience may help to rein in some of Trump’s more inflammatory conduct, which was not popular with viewers in 2020. Rottinghaus noted, “There’s a risk that no audience could make Trump look and act more like a normal candidate. If there was an audience, he would definitely ham it up and would play to them, which oftentimes leads him astray.”
This CNN debate is the first of two scheduled for this cycle, with the second set to be hosted by ABC News on September 10. Both candidates have bypassed the traditional debates coordinated by the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, opting instead for these earlier matchups. The debate will provide a crucial opportunity for voters to hear directly from the two leading contenders for the White House.
