Quick, what are the two things you remember most from the 2020 presidential and vice-presidential debates?
The “Saturday Night Live” moment is easy: the pesky fly that landed on Mike Pence’s head and wouldn’t leave. In retrospect, considering how Pence’s fortunes went, it seems like some kind of hex.
But the other, ostensibly more substantive moment, was from the first debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Trump treated the entire debate process with disdain, acting like a spoiled bully, talking over and around and through Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, daring them to stop him. Wallace didn’t have any luck with it, but finally Biden blurted out what any reasonable viewer not wearing a red MAGA hat was thinking:
“Will you shut up, man?”
When's the presidential debate?
Now, however improbably, we are set for another round of debates between Biden and Trump. (Robert Kennedy Jr. desperately wanted to make the stage, but didn't meet the requirements.) The first debate is scheduled for 6 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday, June 27 on CNN. ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News and MSNBC will simulcast the debate; the CNN logo must be displayed, and the event must be referred to as the "CNN Presidential Debate," the LA Times reported.
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The second debate is scheduled for Sept. 10 on ABC.
Viewers would be excused for wondering how much value there is in the exercise, given that they were seemingly worthless four years ago. As CNN’s Jake Tapper put it immediately after the first 2020 debate, “That was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck. That was the worst debate I have ever seen. It wasn’t even a debate. It was a disgrace, and it’s primarily because of President Trump.”
Dana Bash was more succinct: “It was a s--t show,” she said. (On the air, even.)
Now it’s up to those two to try to avoid a repeat performance.
Who are the moderators for the first debate?
Tapper and Bash will moderate the first debate. They’re a good choice, neither of them having shown any patience for putting up with lies and misinformation — something that is ever-more important from the media as a certain percentage of the population seems willing to ignore facts if they don’t align with their points of view.
How we got to this point is another story, but for the first debate, anyway, CNN has put some guardrails in place to try to keep things from descending into chaos. It’s sort of like when you put those inflatable bumpers up when children bowl, so every ball doesn’t land in the gutter. It speaks to about the same level of maturity, as well.
Or, as CNN puts it, Tapper and Bash “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion.”
Let that sink in for a moment. “A civilized discussion.” It’s astonishing such language is even needed. This is a presidential debate, not an MMA fight. But here we are.
CNN's Trump-Biden debate:Everything to know — and how it'll be different
What are the debate rules?
The debate is set for 90 minutes. When one candidate speaks, the other candidate’s microphone will be muted. This is both sad and necessary — sad that it’s needed, as it is probably the only way to keep Trump quiet while Biden talks, and necessary for the same reason. It also takes the burden off the moderators that a button or some other muting device would provide. This avoids any appearance of bias or impropriety on their part. It’s the same rule for everyone, which is the kind of thing Trump chafes against, but his camp agreed, so be it.
It’s also surprising they agreed to not having a studio audience (see “civilized discussion,” above). But it’s not a bad thing. In theory, candidates are supposed to debate issues, not play to an adoring crowd. Trump does little else, though, and Biden would no doubt enjoy some positive feedback. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out as television.
There will be two commercial breaks, but the candidates can’t interact with their staffs. No notes are allowed — that ought to be good — and both candidates will get a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
Sounds more like prison than a debate stage. Though that might be increasingly fitting for one of them.
The debate is more of an endurance test for the candidates
Seriously, while the car-wreck aspect of the debate’s appeal can’t be overlooked, it’s important to both Trump and Biden to put on a good performance (and let’s face it, that’s what this really is). Why beat around the bush? These are elderly men, both of whose mental acuity has been questioned, though mostly by each other. A 90-minute debate is a bit of an endurance test, for anyone. How will they fare? Can Trump tell the truth? Can Biden make a case for his record?
Will Tapper and Bash fact-check in real time, a Herculean task when Trump is talking? Will they draw attention to Trump’s threats against democracy if reelected? Will they attempt to draw Hunter Biden’s conviction into the narrative? How much will they focus on Trump’s?
There’s only one way to answer these questions, and that’s to take your medicine and watch. There’s a lot at stake, and we deserve the answers.
How to watch and stream the first presidential debate
6 p.m. Arizona time on Thursday, June 27 on CNN. Also on Max, CNN International, CNN en Español, CNN Max and CNN.com.
Reach Goodykoontz atbill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook:facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. X:@goodyk. Subscribe tothe weekly movies newsletter.
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