Trump Agrees to CNN Debate Rules: Mics to Be Muted

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to the guidelines set for the first presidential debate of 2024, including the use of podiums and muted microphones when it is not their turn to speak.

Scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta, the debate will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Both candidates accepted CNN’s invitation and have agreed to the debate’s format and rules, according to the network’s report on Saturday.

The second presidential debate will be hosted by ABC on September 10.

The first debate will span 90 minutes and include two commercial breaks, during which the candidates cannot interact with their campaign teams.

A coin toss will decide the candidates’ podium positions. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed; each candidate will receive a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

There will be no studio audience, but Tapper and Bash will “use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network stated.

Additional rules include that candidates must meet all constitutional requirements for running and have formally declared their candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. Both Biden and Trump meet these criteria, as do third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West, and Jill Stein.

Candidates must also be on enough state ballots to secure 270 electoral votes and achieve at least 15% in four separate national polls meeting CNN’s standards. This requirement means candidates other than Biden and Trump are unlikely to qualify for the debate.

The qualifying polls include those conducted by CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Marquette University Law School, Monmouth University, NBC News, The New York Times/Siena College, NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist College, Quinnipiac University, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the closest third-party candidate to meeting the threshold, with at least 15% in three qualifying polls and appearing on ballots in six states.

{Matzav.com}