President Biden and former President Donald Trump have officially agreed to participate in presidential debates on June 27 and Sept. 10, hosted by CNN and ABC News. The initial proposal for the debates came after a series of discussions and proposals from both campaigns, with Mr. Biden extending an invitation to Trump to join him on the debate stage.
In order to qualify for the debates, candidates had to meet specific criteria, including being constitutionally eligible to serve as president, filing a statement of candidacy, appearing on state ballots to reach the electoral votes needed to win the presidency, agreeing to rules and format, and receiving at least 15% in national polls. Mr. Biden and Trump were the only two candidates who met these requirements, leading to criticism from independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for excluding other candidates and potentially undermining democracy.
The first debate between Mr. Biden and Trump will take place in Atlanta on June 27 at 9 p.m. ET, without an audience to maximize speaking time for the candidates. They are also scheduled to participate in a second debate hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10, with Trump advocating for additional debates in July and August.
While Mr. Biden’s campaign rejected participation in debates sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates, they agreed to debates hosted by news organizations that followed past criteria. Trump accepted the proposed debate schedule for June and September but recommended more debates and larger venues.
Both campaigns outlined terms for the debates, including selecting moderators from regular personnel, setting time limits, and ensuring active microphones only during the speaker’s turn. Campaign advisers from both sides also advocated for more debates to provide voters with maximum exposure to the candidates’ records and visions.
Overall, the upcoming debates between President Biden and former President Trump are highly anticipated events that will offer voters a chance to compare and contrast the candidates’ policies and strategies for the future.
