In a historic breakthrough, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to a pair of debates, marking a significant shift in the traditional debate format.
The first debate, scheduled for June 27, will be hosted by CNN and held in Atlanta without a live audience. This early showdown will set the tone for the final months of the 2024 campaign, and both candidates have accepted the invitation.
Biden’s campaign had earlier proposed two debates, bypassing the Commission on Presidential Debates, and Trump quickly accepted.
The debates will be a critical moment in the campaign, offering voters a chance to see the two candidates go head-to-head on the issues. The format, with no live audience, is a departure from traditional debates and reflects a desire to focus on substance over spectacle.
CNN Secures Historic Debate Between Biden and Trump, Set for June 27
The debates will be moderated by a CNN anchor, and the network has announced that the first debate will be held in its Atlanta studios. The second debate, scheduled for September, will also be hosted by CNN. The Biden campaign has proposed a vice presidential debate in late July after the Republican Party nominates its candidate.
The decision to hold debates earlier in the campaign season reflects a desire to engage voters sooner, and potentially weed out third-party candidates.
The Commission on Presidential Debates typically determines eligibility for debates after Labor Day, but the Biden and Trump campaigns have taken matters into their own hands.
For millions of Americans, these debates will be a crucial opportunity to assess the candidates’ performance and make an informed decision at the polls.
