Written by David Shepardson and Andrea Shalal
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The first U.S. presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and his Republican challenger, Donald Trump, on June 27 will include two commercial periods, without instruments and muted microphones except when it is recognized as speaking, CNN said on Saturday.
In May, the two candidates agreed to face off in two debates, one of which this month will be moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta, while ABC will host the other on September 10.
CNN said Saturday that both candidates will appear on a unified platform during the 90-minute debate, and the positions of the platform will be determined by tossing a coin. The candidates will be given a pen, pad of paper, and a water bottle but cannot use props.
“Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak,” CNN said.
CNN, a subsidiary of Warner Bros Discovery (NASDAQ:), said moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civil discussion.”
During both commercial periods, campaign staff may not interact with their candidate, and there will be no studio audience.
CNN said candidates eligible to participate must appear on enough state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold needed to win and obtain at least 15% in four separate national polls.
CNN said it was “not impossible” that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running as an independent, could qualify, saying he had received at least 15% in three qualifying polls so far and had qualified for the ballot in six states, making him… Eligible for 89 Electoral College votes.
The debates, which will attract tens of millions of viewers live in the United States, carry risks for both candidates, who face a close race.
Biden has three favorite topics of discussion, according to a campaign memo seen by Reuters: abortion rights, the state of democracy and the economy.
Trump refused to debate his rivals during the Republican nomination race. His team cited immigration, public safety and inflation as key issues ahead of the debate.
