CNN issued several controversial presidential debate rules over the weekend that will govern the encounter between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden on June 27.
The new rules come after Trump said in March he would debate Biden anywhere, anytime, and anyplace, putting pressure on Biden to participate in the event.
The Biden campaign agreed in May to a total of two debates that would be closely regulated. It demanded a ban on audiences and approved CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash as moderators. Tapper is one of Trump’s sharpest critics.
CNN announced additional parameters on Saturday:
- Two commercial breaks (Likely to benefit Biden)
- Campaign staff will not be able to interact with their candidate during the break
- No opening statements, two-minute closing statements
- Two-minute answer shot clock, one minute for rebuttals
- Mics will be muted “except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak” (Likely to benefit Biden)
CNN reported its rules:
The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, according to the network, and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time. Both candidates agreed to appear at a uniform podium, and their podium positions will be determined by a coin flip.
Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. While no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
Some aspects of the debate – including the absence of a studio audience – will be a departure from previous debates. But, as in the past, the moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” according to the network.
Biden is planning to spend about a week preparing to debate Trump, who believes his opponent should receive a drug test before the debates. The White House refused to confirm or deny in May whether Biden intends to use performance-enhancing drugs in preparation for the presidential debates.
Special counsel Robert Hur described as “an elderly man with a poor memory” in his report on Biden’s classified documents scandal.
Ron Klain, Biden’s former chief of staff who is going on vacation to help Biden prepare for the debates, did not respond to Politico Playbook’s request for comment about “whether any illegal substances are used as part of Klain’s debate prep.”
- About one-third of Democrats doubt Biden’s mental fitness, a Harvard/Harris survey recently found.
- Another poll revealed 82 percent of Americans harbor concerns about his physical and mental health.
- Only about one-third of voters say Biden is physically or mentally fit to serve a second term, Quinnipiac found.
In May, Biden rejected participating in more than two debates. Trump said Biden had agreed to do so.
Trump and Biden are set to square off a second time in September.
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
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