December 26, 2024

Trump shares debate highlights on Truth Social; Biden campaign says ‘thank you’

In a “Truth Society” post, Trump shared advice on “talking points” for the climate debate he received from former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler.

Wheeler also told Trump that “carbon dioxide emissions have gone down” under his administration, while “Biden has just increased energy costs for everyone.”

Ammar Moussa, the Biden campaign’s director of rapid response, immediately posted the suggestion on X, writing: “Thanks, I guess.”

– and manganese

The last time Trump or Biden debated a challenger was four years ago

2020 Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden (right) and President Donald Trump hold a presidential debate at Belmont University on October 22, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Kevin Dietsch/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Due to Biden’s lack of Democratic primary challengers and Trump’s decision not to participate in a Republican primary debate, tonight marks the first debate between the two candidates since they faced off nearly four years ago (October 23, 2020).

The gaffe is unusual for presidential candidates, at least one of whom typically debates during party primaries. It remains to be seen whether a lack of practice will make either Biden or Trump rusty in tonight’s debate.

——Josephine Rozelle

How the “mute button” works tonight

Joe Biden and Donald Trump answer questions during the second and final presidential debate at Belmont University’s Curbside Events Center on October 22, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Maury Gash | Pool | Reuters

Candidates’ microphones will be muted tonight unless it’s their turn to speak, a new rule that may have been prompted by continued disruption during Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s last face-off during the 2020 campaign.

CNN (CNN) reports that when candidates have 15 seconds left to speak, the lights in their field of vision will turn yellow, and when there are only 5 seconds left to speak, the lights in their field of vision will flash red. explained in the video Wednesday. When a candidate’s time is up, the display will turn solid red, at which point their microphone will be muted and the other turned on.

Biden and Trump will know when their microphones are muted by lights on their respective podiums. When the light is green, the microphone is on. When the lights go out, their microphones are muted.

—Josephine Rozelle

It’s unclear if Melania Trump will participate in the debate

Former U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and former First Lady Melania Trump arrive at the polling station at the Morton and Barbara Mandel Recreation Center in Palm Beach, Florida, on March 19, 2024. Florida primary voting.

George Vieira | AFP | Getty Images

Will she or won’t she?

With less than five hours until the candidates’ showdown, it’s unclear whether Melania Trump will travel to Atlanta for the debate between her husband, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden.

The former first lady has been conspicuously absent from Trump’s camp on the campaign trail and at the New York criminal hush-money trial, where he was found guilty last month of crimes related to bribery of porn star Stormy Daniels.

— Dan Mangan

Microphones cut, crowd banned: Here are the rules for tonight’s debate

In this handout picture, U.S. President Joe Biden and former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump held the first debate of 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, on June 26, 2024.

John Novak | CNN | Reuters

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have debated before, but their first face-off in the 2024 election cycle is bound to look very different.

This is thanks to rule CNN hosted the debate after the two candidates sidestepped the Commission on Presidential Debates, the traditional organizer of the event.

Among CNN’s biggest changes: There will be no live audience and candidates’ microphones will be muted until it’s their turn to speak.

CNN once again broke with tradition by allowing two commercial breaks during the debate. Campaign staff are prohibited from interacting with candidates during these times.

Trump and Biden will stand eight feet apart at the podium during the 90-minute debate in Atlanta. Biden won the chance to choose his podium spot via a coin toss, though doing so gave Trump the final say on the night.

At this point, there will be closing arguments, but no opening arguments. Candidates will have two minutes to answer the question and one minute to provide an answer or rebuttal.

The hosts — CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash — will have the discretion to allow additional time for follow-up.

Kevin Breuninger

Trump remains subject to a gag order. This is what he can’t say

On May 30, 2024, former US President Trump sat in the courtroom during his hush money trial in Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City.

Michael M. Santiago | Michael M. Santiago Reuters

Donald Trump is set to debate Joe Biden while his speech is restricted by a gag order amid multiple civil and criminal cases against him.

Judge Juan Melchan recently lifted some, but not all, of the gag order against Trump in a criminal hush-money case in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Trump was convicted of 34 felonies in that trial and can now speak freely about witnesses and the jury. But he remains prohibited from discussing attorneys and staff at the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and courts, as well as any of their family members.

At least two other gag orders against Trump appear to remain in effect: one from his civil business fraud trial in New York and another from his federal election interference case in federal court in Washington, D.C.

Gag order in civil fraud trial bars Trump from talking about court staff. This came after Trump repeatedly verbally attacked the judge’s chief law clerk.

In the Washington, D.C., case, Judge Tanya Chutkan limited public remarks to potential witnesses, court staff and relevant legal advisers, including Jack Smith, special counsel to the prosecutor. A federal appeals court later narrowed the scope of the gag order, allowing Trump to talk about Smith.

Kevin Breuninger

White House Correspondents’ Association slams CNN for not letting Biden travel reporters into debate

The White House Correspondents’ Association complained that the White House traveling press corps was excluded from the photo studio during the debate.

Media crews work in the press room at Georgia Tech’s McCamish Pavilion during the first 2024 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump on June 27, 2024 in Atlanta.

Marco Bello | Reuters

“We are deeply concerned that WHCA has repeatedly rejected our requests to include the White House travel pool in the studio,” the organization said in a statement, noting that it had asked to allow at least one print Reporter Chi enters.

“The White House team has a responsibility to document, report and bear witness to the President’s events and actions on behalf of the American people,” the group said.

— Dan Mangan

With no one else promoted, Biden and Trump go head-to-head

A banner supporting independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is seen before the first 2024 presidential debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and former U.S. President Donald Trump in Atlanta on June 27, 2024.

Megan Varner | Reuters

CNN declare Last week, Joe Biden and Donald Trump were the only presidential candidates to meet the eligibility requirements, cementing tonight’s in-person debate.

To win a seat tonight, presidential candidates must cross Two critical thresholds As of June 20:

  • A candidate must be on the ballot in enough states to receive 270 electoral votes.
  • Candidates must receive at least 15% support in four national polls that meet CNN standards.

Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. failed to meet those requirements, reaching 15 percent in just three surveys and gaining votes in just 10 states, according to an NBC News analysis.

—Josephine Rozelle

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