By In a rapid series of events on Wednesday, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump agreed to participate in two presidential debates, scheduled for June 27 and September 10. The two White House hopefuls accepted invitations from CNN and ABC News, respectively, following a flurry of proposals and social media posts from both campaigns.
The plans for the debates came together quickly after the Biden campaign expressed the president’s willingness to debate his Republican opponent twice before the November election. In a letter sent earlier on Wednesday, Jen O’Malley Dillon, chair of the president’s reelection campaign, proposed one debate in late June, after the likely conclusion of Trump’s ongoing criminal trial in New York and Mr. Biden’s travel to the G7 Summit in Italy, and a second debate in early September.
Trump, who seemed to swiftly accept the proposed schedule, took to social media to express his readiness to debate Mr. Biden at the suggested times. However, he also recommended more than two debates at a “very large venue.” In response, President Biden shared a video on social media, urging his Republican opponent to take him on and even offering to debate twice.
CNN announced that it will host the first debate between Mr. Biden and Trump at its Atlanta studios on June 27 at 9 p.m. ET, without an audience to maximize the candidates’ allotted time. The network laid out five criteria for qualifying for the debate, including constitutional eligibility, filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, appearing on enough state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold, agreeing to the debate’s rules and format, and receiving at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet CNN standards.
Mr. Biden and Trump are currently the only two candidates seeking the presidency who qualify under those terms. It’s unlikely that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who is running as an independent, will be on the stage due to the polling requirement and the number of states where he has secured ballot access.
The second debate, hosted by ABC News, is set to take place on September 10, with both candidates confirming their attendance. The Trump campaign is pushing for two additional debates in July and August.
In her letter, O’Malley Dillon also stated that the president will not participate in debates sponsored by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen presidential debates since 1988. Instead, Mr. Biden would take part in debates hosted by news organizations that oversaw Republican and Democratic primary debates in 2016 and 2020, respectively, in which both candidates participated. These outlets include CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and Telemundo.
The Biden campaign also laid out parameters for the debates, including one-on-one formats, regular personnel from the broadcast hosts as moderators, set time limits for answers and responses, and active microphones only during each candidate’s allotted speaking time.
The Trump campaign, in their own proposal, suggested one debate per month in June, July, August, and September, in addition to the vice presidential debate. They believe that additional dates will allow voters maximum exposure to each candidate’s records and future visions.
As the two presidential hopefuls gear up for their highly anticipated face-offs, the American public eagerly awaits the opportunity to hear their views on the issues that matter most to the nation. The debates are expected to play a crucial role in shaping public opinion and influencing the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
