Presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in two televised presidential debates in the lead-up to the November election. The first debate will be held June 27, hosted by CNN, and the second will be held September 10, hosted by ABC.
Early Showdown
Historically speaking, the June debate is being held early in the campaign cycle. Both candidates have accepted the invitation to the debate, Biden posting on X, and Trump in a conversation with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
Second Debate Scheduled
The second debate in September also scorns historical norms, as the candidates bypassed the traditional Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) and accepted invitations from news organizations CNN and ABC to host the debates.
Campaign Strategies
It was unclear until recently whether there would be a debate between the two well-known politicians. Biden seemed hesitant to debate Trump but ultimately initiated a challenge to Trump to two debates. Trump had long been interested in meeting Biden on the debate stage and wanted to schedule four debates. At this point, Biden has only committed to two.
Venue and Moderators
The first debate will be in Atlanta, in the CNN studio without an audience. Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate. When ABC hosts the second debate, David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate.
Debate Format
The Biden campaign had proposed certain standards for the two debates, including smaller venues and strict rules. While Trump accepted Biden’s offer to debate and agreed to his preferred format, he noted his preference for large audiences, allowing for “excitement.”
Disdain for CPD
The candidates agreed to the new format and hosts, as both have historically lobbed criticisms at the debates sponsored by the CPD. Biden, in particular, has complained that the CPD did not enforce debate rules adequately and that the body was out of touch with modern electoral processes.
RNC Withdrawal
Republicans were also dissatisfied with the CPD, claiming that the body was biased against Republican candidates. The Republican National Committee (RNC) had withdrawn from debates hosted by the CPD two years ago.
Historical Context
The CPD had previously scheduled three Presidential debates to take place in the fall, but the Biden campaign declined the opportunity and both Presidential Campaigns prefer to move forward with debates hosted by the news organizations.
Vice Presidential Debate
Vice President debates will likely be scheduled as soon as Trump names his running mate. The first debate will likely take place in July to give the vice presidential candidates ample time to build excitement and get the public involved in the national campaign.
Third-Party Candidates
Holding the presidential debate earlier in the election cycle than usual may make it difficult for third-party candidates to qualify to participate.
RFK and Cornel West May Not Qualify for Early Debate
This is most likely to impact Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Cornel West, who are both candidates for president but may not meet the participation criteria for the June debate.
Voter Engagement
Voters will likely tune into the debates despite the fact that both candidates are already well-known. They will be able to compare their strengths and weaknesses side by side and judge their mental fitness for office. Age is an often cited concern for both candidates, as Biden will be 82 in November and Trump will be 78 in June.
Pressure on Biden
Biden’s initial reluctance to commit to a debate did not dissuade Republicans from pressuring him to do so. Both Biden and Trump know the importance of engaging strategic populations of voters early in the election cycle.
