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Presidential debate, Biden against Trump: very strict rules and tight deadlines. Everything you need to know about the most anticipated TV event of the year

Anticipation is mounting for the first (of two) debates tonight between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in view of the US presidential elections. Immigration, inflation and geopolitics are the hot topics. CNN leaves nothing to chance to "contain" the two candidates

Presidential debate, Biden against Trump: very strict rules and tight deadlines. Everything you need to know about the most anticipated TV event of the year

Joe Biden vs. Donald Trump. Again. United States in fibrillation for the first television debate among (almost) presidential candidates in view of the elections on November 5th. It will be a different debate compared to those that have taken place in the past, given that for the first time it will not be organized by the Commission for Presidential Debates, but by the television network that will broadcast it, namely the CNN. There will therefore be different - very strict - rules aimed at containing the probably numerous excesses of the protagonists, one in particular (needless to say who).

But the "organizing body" will not be the only novelty of the year: it is the first time that competing in a TV comparison will be a sitting president (Biden) and a former president (Trump). And it is also the first time that the debate will be held so far in advance of the vote, at a time when (technically) Trump and Biden are not even the official candidates of their respective parties yet. 

Presidential debate: when and how to watch it

The event will be held in CNN's Atlanta studios. The start is scheduled for 21pm American time. In Italy it will be 3am between Thursday and Friday. In our country the event will be broadcast live with translation into Italian on Sky TG24 and on Nove (starting at 2) and a repeat on Friday 30th at 28pm, again on Nove. 

In the USA the anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate, while in Italy the discussion on the Nine will be presented by journalists who are experts in the US political scenario, who will introduce and comment on the events live: the journalist Maria Latella, the deputy director of the Foglio Paola Peduzzi , the journalist Paola Tommasi.

The (very strict) rules of the Biden-Trump debate

CNN organizes, CNN dictates the rules. And they will be very rigid. The network has in fact decided to establish everything a priori. Rules, methods, times were written down in writing in advance and accepted by both protagonists. It's a shame that shortly afterwards Trump spoke of a "trap set against him".

The debate will last 90 minutes, Biden will be on the right of the screen, Trump on the left. The two faces will always be paired to allow viewers to catch every change of expression. For the entire time, including the two commercial breaks, they will not be able to interact with anyone, except for the two moderators. No props or previously written notes will be allowed on stage, but candidates will be provided with a pen, pad of paper and bottle of water. 

And again: no opening statements: Trump and Biden will have 2 minutes available each to answer each question, plus a minute for a possible reply, and another for a rejoinder. A red light will flash when you enter the last five seconds of time and will turn solid if you exceed the two minute mark. Based on a draw already carried out, Trump will have it the last word for the final conclusions. Different from usual There will be no audience present in the room. 

The most important rule of all though the microphones that will be turned off for the entire duration except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. 

If you were wondering the "why" of such strict rules, we remind you of two precedents: in 2020, the TV confrontation between the two was a real chaos, full of interruptions, shouts and vitriolic barbs. The result was an almost unwatchable program.

Not only that, in 2023, due to an interview in which Donald Trump refused to answer many questions, repeatedly spreading fake news and conspiracy theories, the then president of CNN Chris Licht was shown the door. This time, therefore, the network has seen fit to leave nothing to chance, specifying however that the two moderators will not carry out fact checking during the live broadcast, but the check will be carried out during a subsequent programme. 

Presidential debate: Biden and Trump promise "frontal attacks"

Immigration, economy (and inflation), but also international geopolitics, with Israel, Ukraine and China will undoubtedly be some of the topics at the center of the debate.

Joe Biden comes to the TV duel with Donald Trump with the aim of attacking his opponent, describing it as “a criminal dangerous for democracy”, with “an unbridled campaign aimed at obtaining power and revenge”. It is the same electoral team as the Democratic president ad anticipate Biden's full attack position held tonight. “Thursday's debate will be one of the first moments of the presidential campaign in which a large portion of thethe American electorate will be able to see the clear choice between Joe Biden, who fights for the Americans, and Donald Trump who fights for himself, a convicted felon with an unbridled campaign aimed at gaining power and revenge,” said Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler.

Donald Trump, for his part, will not stand idly by and in the course of some rallies he has already promised his voters "hardness and wickedness", despite several collaborators having already advised him to "not lose control" and to avoid references to "rigged elections". Given his temperament, however, the doubts about whether he will listen to them are very high, also because a few hours after the debate he has already accused Biden, claiming that he will use "substances" necessary to improve his performance. Furthermore, it is difficult not to miss even a joke about "Biden's old age" (the tycoon is 78 years old, the current president is 81), after all, it was he who nicknamed them "Sleepy Joe".

Second presidential debate in September

Overall there will be two televised debates between the candidates for the presidency of the United States. The second will be held in mid-September and will be organized by ABC. 

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