The upcoming 2024 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 27 will see a new set of rules enforced.
CNN has announced that the candidates’ campaigns agreed to the new set of rules, which include mic muting.
The debate will be hosted by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, and the broadcast is set to last 90 minutes with two commercial breaks in between. Commercial breaks have not occurred under The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has overseen the debates for over three decades, but won't this year.
For the first time since 1976, the presidential debate will not take place in front of a live audience.
Details of new rules
Both candidates agreed to have the microphones muted when it is not their turn to speak, minimizing potential for interruptions. Debates held ahead of the 2020 election included numerous interruptions by both Trump and Biden.
On par with previous years, the moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” said CNN.
Straying from previous years, there will be no opening statements from either candidate. The candidates will be given two minutes to respond to a question, with one-minute rebuttals and responses to rebuttals. The moderators also will have an extra minute they can use at their discretion. At the end of the debate, there will be a two-minute closing statement from each candidate.
According to the network, there will be a uniform podium with positions determined via a coin flip.
The candidates won’t be able to bring pre-written notes or props onto the debate stage with them, they instead will be provided with a pen, paper and water. Campaign staff are also not permitted to speak or interact with their respective candidates until the end of the debate.
The June 27 debate marks the earliest presidential debate in U.S. history, with neither candidate officially accepting their party nomination yet. Both Biden and Trump will be able to accept their nominations after their party’s conventions.
The Republican Convention is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, next month, while the Democratic Convention takes place in August in Chicago.
The debate will be the first of two scheduled to take place this year, with an ABC News-hosted presidential debate set for September 10.
