President Biden and former President Trump will face off this Thursday for the presidential debate. Here’s what to expect.
The presidential debate will be held this Thursday at 9 p.m. ET at a CNN studio in Atlanta with no audience. Biden and Trump will face off for 90 minutes, and both candidates have decided to forgo the traditional structure determined by the Commission on Presidential Debates and instead adhere to mutually agreed upon rules and conditions.
During the debate, there will be no opening statements. Microphones will be muted unless it is the candidate’s turn to speak. The candidates will only have access to paper, a pen, and a bottle of water. No pre-written notes will be permitted. By the flip of a coin, Trump will deliver the final closing statement. There will be two commercial breaks during the program, and campaign staff are not permitted to engage with candidates during these breaks.
Several key issues are expected to make their way into this debate. Among them are typical hot button issues like abortion, immigration, the economy, and gun control. Biden will likely point out the shortcomings of Trump’s term as president, while Trump will focus on the issues the nation has faced in the past few years under the Biden administration.
Abortion is a key issue for Trump going into this election. His Supreme Court appointments during his presidential term catalyzed the overturn of Roe v. Wade, a court decision that has been controversial and has gained more negative attention for Trump since. Biden will likely use this as a tactic against Trump in the debate.
A key issue facing Biden in this debate will be immigration, with Trump criticizing his management of the issue. Biden has yet to control the number of immigrants entering the United States at its border with Mexico.
Social media has been slammed with people condemning both Trump and Biden ahead of the debate. Conservatives are concerned the debate, hosted by CNN, will be rigged due to one of the host’s history of criticizing Trump.
Others are demanding that Biden participate in a pre-debate drug test to check for performance-enhancing drugs.
Throughout campaign season, Trump has maintained a small lead in most of the key battleground states that are expected to decide the election.
