President Biden and former President Donald Trump face off on Thursday for their first debate of the 2024 presidential election, with high stakes as national polls show the two candidates neck-and-neck.
CNN will host the first debate between the two presumptive party nominees on Thursday, June 27 at 9:00 PM ET (6:00 PM PT). The debate will also be simulcast on other networks, including CBS. The film is expected to be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks.
The debate will take place at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, where CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate. Tapper and Bash have both moderated presidential debates before.
There will be no studio audience, so the candidates will not be interrupted by anyone other than each other or the moderators. The lack of an audience also helps the TV audience to make their own judgments about who performs better, without the influence of audience reactions.
CNN also says microphones will be muted when it is not a candidate’s turn to speak, a move intended to limit interruptions.
Biden withdrew with his team to Camp David to work on preparations for the debate. Trump, without the duties of the Oval Office, has continued to hold rallies, including one in Racine, Wisconsin, on Tuesday.
Trump and Mr. Biden are virtually tied in the polls after Trump’s criminal conviction in Manhattan last month on 34 cases of falsification of company data. A majority of likely voters say Trump’s beliefs are not a factor in their decision, and that issues like inflation and the border are much more important to them. Heading into the first debate, the Biden campaign has a new TV ad leaning on Trump’s status as a “convicted felon.”
Thursday’s debate may feel like a repeat of 2020 to viewers, though the two candidates likely won’t be as physically distant as they were during the pandemic debates. Trump tested positive for COVID-19 just days after their September 29, 2020 presidential debate, the last time the two men stood on stage together.
The debate will also be simulcast on CBS television stations and CBS News streaming. CBS Evening News anchor and editor-in-chief Norah O’Donnell will present a special report, featuring analysis from CBS News political correspondents and analysts.
How to watch the first presidential debate
- What: President Biden and former President Donald Trump debate
- Date: Thursday June 27, 2024
- Time: The debate starts at 9:00 PM ET, 6:00 PM PT
Coverage and analysis begins at 5:00 PM ET with “America Decides” on CBS News 24/7 - Place: CNN studios in Atlanta
- On TV: CNN (cable) and simulcast on CBS television stations – find your local CBS station here
- Online stream: Live on CBS News 24/7 in the player above and on your mobile or streaming device
- Follow live updates: On CBSNews.com
