It's less than two weeks until the first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and convicted felon Donald Trump. It was back in May that Biden posted a video response to Donald Trump's challenge to debate his anytime, anywhere. "Well, make my day, pal" Biden said to Trump in a fourteen-second video with five edits.
Remarkably, that same day, both CNN and ABC News had already scheduled dates for the debates. Word was that was one of the conditions of the Biden campaign: that the debates be held on a network friendly to Biden, such as CBS, ABC, CNN, or Telemundo. Other conditions included excluding Robert F. Kennedy Jr., having no audience, and cutting off Trump's mic while Biden was speaking.
The Washington Reporter has reported that Biden was negotiating to sit down through the 90-minute debate, which Semafor's Max Tani says is not accurate:
A CNN spokesperson tells me this is not accurate https://t.co/6Rdr3Epqnv
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) June 17, 2024
The rules are out, according to several media outlets Monday. There will indeed be no live audience, and candidates' mics will be shut off when the other candidate is speaking.
With less than two weeks until the first presidential debate, CNN has announced the rules agreed upon by both Pres. Biden and former Pres. Trump's campaigns. https://t.co/OV6YWtDe0R pic.twitter.com/qlfQXWPGss
— ABC News (@ABC) June 17, 2024
ABC News reports:
The debate, which is being moderated by CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, will run for approximately 90 minutes with two commercial breaks. There will be no live studio audience, one major change from debates past.
Biden and Trump will stand at podiums decided by a coin flip. Their microphones will be muted unless it is their turn to speak, the network said, which is likely to limit how much the candidates can interrupt one another.
CNN said they won't be allowed to use any props or pre-written notes but will be given paper, a pen and water.
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Jake Tapper will be moderating, which guarantees his first question to Trump will be if he believes the 2020 election was rigged. Dana Bash also recently informed us that she has "not talked to a Democrat who wants abortion-on-demand til time of birth." Perhaps she'll ask Biden what his cutoff is for abortions, then. Fifteen weeks? Twenty-four?
RedSteeze noted this exchange last week:
The Biden campaign demanded that the debates be held by either CNN or ABC. Here is a CNN host, anchoring with ABC News director. The two networks hosting presidential debates.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) June 11, 2024
And Trump agreed to all of this. https://t.co/lzRVguttEW
On Sunday, MSNBC host Alex Wagner worried that the debate would be unfair to Biden because Americans' expectations for him are so high. "Trump's bar is literally: Is he alive? Is he standing? Are the words coming out?" she said. That follows from first lady Dr. Jill Biden saying that the debates will show that Trump has trouble stringing a sentence together.
Former CNN stooge Chris Cillizza rightfully notes that Biden will have all the advantages:
The rules for the CNN debate:
— Chris Cillizza (@ChrisCillizza) June 17, 2024
1. Mics cut off when not your turn to speak: Advantage Biden
2. No live audience: Advantage Biden
3. Two commercial breaks: Advantage Biden
4. No pre-written notes: Advantage Trump
Surprised Trump team agreed to these rules honestly…
He did say anytime, anywhere.
We doubt the report about sitting down, especially if CNN says they'll flip a coin to determine who gets which podium. Still, there were a lot of conditions set by the Biden campaign. Trump demanded drug tests of both candidates before the debate, but it doesn't look like that made the rules.
Not a chance Trump shows up.
— Robert Spencer (@b_highway62) June 17, 2024
"Conservative" thought leader Bill Kristol said the same thing.
We also want DRUG TESTING! We already know the WHITE HOUSE has Crack and COKE around the place!
— Richard Thomas (@Richard65584991) June 17, 2024
I wonder how much coke and other stimulants they will need to make Biden coherent for that long
— Triggering Liberal Tears (@nick9218) June 17, 2024
They're renegotiating to have Biden appear on Zoom with a 30-second delay and it will look like AI and his voice is going to sound a lot like Barack Obama but it's totally going to be him.
— Modern Heretic (@ModernHeretic_2) June 17, 2024
It will be one of those "deep fakes" Karine Jean-Pierre has been going on about.
Tell us the name of the spokes person, if not it didn't happen. Trump mentioned it this weekend, that CNN contacted his campaign requesting it.
— Patty (@pattyisright) June 17, 2024
Pointing out the fallacy of your claim. If they are truly a “spokesperson for CNN” they wouldn’t be anonymous. Calling you out Max for peddling disinformation.
— Halle MAGA (@Halle2017) June 17, 2024
Won't he wander off if he isn't seated?
— Dwight (@wdwighttheseco1) June 17, 2024
All of those videos of Biden wandering off in confusion are manipulated, according to KJP and the mainstream media.
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