The first televised presidential debate in history will take place on June 27 at CNN’s studios in Atlanta.
The announcement came shortly after former President Donald Trump accepted an invitation from current President Joe Biden for two debates in June and September.
The event is significant as it marks a milestone in political discourse, with the first televised debate being held between Richard Nixon and John F.
Kennedy in 1960.
Notably, no audience will be present at the CNN debate “to ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate.” President Biden took to social media platform Twitter to confirm his acceptance of the CNN invitation, writing, “Over to you, Donald,” referencing Trump’s past statement about accepting debates anywhere and anytime.
Meanwhile, Trump announced on Truth Social that it was a “great honor” for him to accept the CNN debate against President Biden.
The two candidates have also agreed to participate in an ABC News debate on September 10th.
For the CNN debate, the outlet stated that the debate’s moderators and additional details would be announced at a later date.
To qualify for participation in the debates, candidates must fulfill the requirements outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States; file a Statement of Candidacy with the Federal Election Commission; ensure their name appears on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold to win the presidency prior to the eligibility deadline; agree to accept the rules and format of the debate; and receive at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters that meet CNN’s standards for reporting.
However, independent presidential candidate Robert F.
Kennedy Jr.
was not mentioned in the proposals, even though he has received at least 15% of the vote in some polls.
His campaign criticized Trump and Biden for excluding him from the debates, stating that their refusal to include him undermines democracy.
The Trump campaign is advocating for additional debates, proposing one debate per month from June through September, along with a vice presidential debate.
They argue that American voters deserve more opportunities to hear directly from the candidates, especially given current national issues like soaring inflation and chaos at the border.
However, it appears that the Biden campaign has rejected the offer for any additional debates, with Ms.
Dillon commenting on behalf of the Biden-Harris campaign that they would “see Donald Trump on June 27th in Atlanta—if he shows up.