Less than two weeks before the first 2024 presidential debate, CNN has unveiled additional details on the agreed parameters between the Trump and Biden campaigns.
Scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta, the debate - moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash - will witness the inaugural in-person clash of the 2024 campaign between President Joe Biden and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Both candidates readily accepted CNN's invitation, embracing the stipulated rules and format communicated to their campaigns back in May.
The 90-minute debate will encompass two commercial breaks, with a strict provision disallowing campaign staff from engaging with their candidates during these intervals. To ensure fairness, both candidates have committed to standing at identical podiums, with their positions determined by a coin toss.
During the debate, microphones will remain muted, except for the candidate authorized to speak at that specific juncture. While no props or pre-written notes will be permitted on stage, candidates will be furnished with a pen, paper pad, and a water bottle.
Certain components of this debate will diverge from past practices, such as the absence of a live studio audience. Nevertheless, moderators will leverage all available tools to uphold timing and foster a decorous exchange, as stated by the network.
Participants seeking entry to CNN's debate must comply with the eligibility criteria delineated in Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution for assuming the presidency. Biden and Trump, alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein - who are running on minor-party tickets - satisfy these prerequisites. All contenders have formally lodged statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.
To secure a spot in the debate, aspirants must appear on a requisite number of state ballots to amass the 270 electoral votes necessary for victory. Additionally, they must garner at least 15% support from registered or probable voters across four distinct national polls meeting CNN's stringent standards for accuracy and reporting. These credible polls include those by CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, among others.
While attaining the qualifying thresholds may prove daunting for Kennedy and other candidates besides Biden and Trump, Kennedy has achieved the 15% threshold in three primary elections to date and is presently on the ballot in six states, rendering him eligible for 89 Electoral College votes.