First off, what impressed you most about the 2020 presidential and vice presidential debates?
The “Saturday Night Live” moment is simple: that pesky fly that landed on Mike Pence's head and wouldn't leave. In retrospect, it seems like something of a curse, given how Pence's fate turned out.
But another, apparently more substantive, moment came during the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, where Trump disparaged the entire debate process, acting like a spoiled bully and ignoring Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, mocking them and challenging them to stop. Wallace didn't fare well, but Biden eventually blurted out what any decent viewer not wearing a red MAGA hat was thinking:
“Shut up, okay?”
When is the Presidential Debate?
Now, in the unlikely event that it does happen, another Biden-Trump debate is scheduled. (Robert Kennedy Jr. was keen to appear but was unable to qualify.) The first debate is scheduled for Thursday, June 27th at 6pm Arizona time on CNN. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and MSNBC will simulcast the debate, and must display the CNN logo and call the event the “CNN Presidential Debate,” the LA Times reported.
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The second debate is scheduled to air on ABC on September 10th.
Viewers are right to wonder how much value this debate has, since it seemed worthless four years ago. As CNN's Jake Tapper said shortly after the first debate in 2020, “It was the middle of a disaster, the middle of a dumpster fire. It was the worst debate I've ever seen. It wasn't even a debate. It was a disgrace, and President Trump is a major part of that.”
Dana Bash put it more succinctly: “It was a terrible show,” she said (even while it was on the air).
Now it's up to them to make sure the same mistakes aren't repeated.
Who moderated the first debate?
Tapper and Bash will be moderating the first debate. They are good choices. Neither has shown any patience for lies and misinformation, which are increasingly important to the media as a percentage of the public tends to ignore facts that don't fit their perspective.
How we got to this point is another story, but at the first debate, CNN put up guardrails to stop it from spiraling into chaos, like the inflatable bumpers kids put up when bowling to stop all the balls from falling into the gutters, which speaks to a similar level of maturity.
Or, as CNN puts it, Tapper and Bash “will do everything in their power to enforce the timing and ensure a civilized debate.”
Think about that for a second. “Civilized debate.” It's amazing that such a term is even necessary. This is a presidential debate, not a mixed martial arts match. But here we are.
CNN's Trump vs. Biden debate:Everything you need to know — and how it's changing
What are the rules of the debate?
The debates are set for 90 minutes. When one candidate speaks, the other candidate's microphone is muted. This is both unfortunate and necessary. It is necessary because it is probably the only way to silence Trump while Biden is speaking, and it is necessary for the same reasons. It also avoids burdening the moderator with buttons and other muting devices. This avoids the appearance of bias or ineptitude on the part of the moderator. This is the same rule for everyone, and while Trump has pushed back against it, his campaign has agreed that it is the way to go.
It's also surprising that they agreed to not have a studio audience (see “civilized debate” above). But that's not a bad thing. In theory, candidates are supposed to debate the issues, not behave to an enthusiastic audience. But Trump did little else, and Biden will undoubtedly get some positive feedback. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out on TV.
There are two commercial breaks, the candidates are not allowed to communicate with staff, no notes are allowed, which is a good thing, and both candidates are given a pen, a notepad, and a bottle of water.
It seems more like a prison than a forum, but for one of them that might just be what they deserve.
The debate is more of an endurance test for the candidates.
Seriously, the catastrophe aspect of the debate's appeal is hard to ignore, but it's important for both Trump and Biden to put in a good performance (and, let's be honest, this is it). Why belittle it? They're older men, and their intellectual acuity has been questioned, mostly by each other. A 90-minute debate is a bit of an endurance test for everyone. How will they fare? Can Trump tell the truth? Can Biden claim his credentials?
Will Tapper and Bash do the heavy lifting of fact-checking Trump in real time as he speaks? Will they draw attention to the threat Trump poses to democracy if re-elected? Will they try to weave Hunter Biden's conviction into the story? How much of a focus will they be on Trump's conviction?
There is only one way to answer these questions, and that is to remain calm and wait. There is a lot at stake, and we have a right to know the answers.
How to watch and stream the first presidential debate
The show will air on CNN on Thursday, June 27 at 6 pm Arizona time. It will also air on Max, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Max and CNN.com.
Arrived at Goody Koontz bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm.X: nice. apply Your weekly movie newsletter.
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