Muted Mics: CNN Releases Rules For First Debate

The New York Times reports:

There will be no opening statements. President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions — followed by one-minute rebuttals and responses to the rebuttals. Red lights visible to the candidates will flash when they have five seconds left, and turn solid red when time has expired. And each man’s microphone will be muted when it is not his turn to speak.

The candidates will get a breather during two commercial breaks, according to debate rules provided by CNN, but they will be barred from huddling with advisers while off the air. The first presidential debate of the 2024 cycle is less than two weeks away, and both campaigns are racing to prepare for the first showdown sponsored directly by a television network in more than a generation.

Read the full article.

NEW: Biden and Trump will get 2-minute answers, 1-minute rebuttals and 1-minute responses to the rebuttals.

And mics will be muted when it’s not their turn to speak.

Me and @reidepstein on the CNN debate and how the candidates are preparing https://t.co/YfTAC0m4uV

— Shane Goldmacher (@ShaneGoldmacher) June 15, 2024