President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are preparing for an unprecedented event as they gear up to face off in CNN’s highly anticipated presidential debate on June 27. This historic showdown will be the first time a sitting president and a former president engage in a debate. It is also noteworthy that this will be the first debate since 2020 to feature either Biden, who faced no significant challenges for the Democratic nomination, or Trump, who chose to skip the debates during the Republican primary race.
The upcoming debate is of immense significance in a presidential race that has unfolded earlier than usual and involves two widely recognized candidates. Unlike the previous Biden-Trump debates in 2020, which were held at universities, this clash on June 27 will not have a studio audience.
Both Biden and Trump had to meet the constitutional, ballot qualification, and polling thresholds set by CNN to qualify for participation. The qualification window closed on Thursday, and both candidates successfully met the requirements. The debate, hosted by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta, will span 90 minutes. Both candidates have accepted the network’s invitation and have agreed to abide by the rules and format outlined in letters sent to their campaigns in May.
To qualify, candidates had to fulfill the requirements stated in Article II, Section 1 of the US Constitution for serving as president. Additionally, they were required to file a formal statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission. CNN’s parameters, established in May, mandated that all participating debaters must appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold necessary to win the presidency. Furthermore, they had to achieve a minimum of 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet CNN’s reporting standards. These standards encompass polls sponsored by reputable organizations such as CNN, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News, Marquette.