What happened?

  • Biden and Trump have agreed to two presidential debates in 2024, with the first on June 27 on CNN and the second on September 10 on ABC News.
  • The debates will not be organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), as the Republican National Committee has withdrawn from the commission’s system.
  • The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates traditionally hosts three presidential debates in September and October.
  • Trump’s campaign previously requested more debates, happening earlier, and the Biden campaign criticizes the current debates as being like an entertainment spectacle without rule enforcement.
  • Biden proposes a vice presidential debate in July and another presidential debate in September, before most early voting.

What is Conservative media saying:

  • The Biden campaign asked for debates to occur in a TV studio without an in-person audience.
  • Trump agreed to a debate with Biden but criticized Biden’s debating skills and declared himself ready to face off.
  • Biden’s campaign requested that the debate not include any third-party challengers.
  • RFK Jr. accused Trump and Biden of colluding to block him from the debate stage.
  • RFK Jr. posted that he would be debating both Trump and Biden, but Biden’s team has ruled out including third-party candidates in the debates.
  • MSNBC’s Chuck Todd claimed the Biden campaign was losing and needed a reset.

What is Liberal media saying:

  • Biden’s proposal removes the Commission on Presidential Debates from the rulemaking process, and he wants stricter rules for microphone use during debates, possibly in response to interruptions in the 2020 debate. Biden also wants debates in studios without audiences, with automatic microphone shutoff.
  • Biden’s popularity and concerns about his age and mental fitness are critical factors in the debate strategy, and the first debate in June is crucial for his campaign.
  • Biden’s stance on debating Trump has shifted over the past few months, and he may see the debates as a way to recover voters, being slightly behind Trump in polls.
  • The Biden campaign planned to work directly with news organizations to set up the debates, bypassing the Commission on Presidential Debates.
  • Trump campaign called for earlier and more frequent presidential debates to ensure voters have a full chance to see the candidates in action.
  • Biden challenged Trump to debates in a social media post, stating that Trump lost two debates in 2020 and teasing about free days in Trump’s schedule.
  • Biden has offered to debate Trump anytime and anywhere, and has accepted debate invitations from CNN and ABC News, while Trump has agreed to both debate invitations. However, Biden’s offer would cut the commission out of the process.

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