2 days Ago By ABCNews
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump return to the debate stage Thursday for the first time in four years -- but this time under a significant new set of rules. ABC News spoke with experts on how that could help, or hurt, each candidate -- and what difference it could make for American voters watching the showdown. The two rivals will face off in a studio at CNN's Atlanta headquarters in prime time on Thursday for the first presidential debate of the 2024 election.
While it won't be the first time Biden and Trump have gone toe-to-toe on policy (the two sparred twice in 2020) it will look a lot different from debates past because of the guidelines established by CNN and agreed upon by both campaigns. The candidates' microphones will be muted unless it's their turn to speak. There will be no live studio audience to react to zingers or other "moments" during the 90-minutes, a first since the 1960 debate between John F.
Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Not only is it the earliest presidential debate in modern U.S.
history, but it is also the 1st time 2 presidents -- one current and one former -- go head-to-head There will be two commercial breaks, though Trump and Biden won't be able to consult with their teams during them. The candidates are not allowed any props or prewritten notes, and will only be given a pen, paper and water. A CNN coin flip won by Biden means he will stand at a lectern on the the right-side of the stage while Trump will be on the left, though Trump will get the l.
