Former CNN Analyst Admits Network’s Debate Is Rigged for Biden

With the first presidential debate just about two weeks away, the 90-minute showdown in Atlanta on June 27 is poised to be a pivotal event in this year’s campaign schedule. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will meet for the first time since their contentious debate in October 2020. Each candidate will have a two-minute slot to respond to questions, followed by one minute to counter and reply.

On Monday, former CNN political analyst Chris Cillizza made headlines by suggesting that the rules of his former network’s upcoming presidential debate favor Biden over Trump. “Rule number one: the mics for each candidate will be muted when it is not their turn to talk,” Cillizza explained.

“There’s a part of me that’s like, ‘I don’t love this because it’s a debate,’” Cillizza noted. “The most memorable and important parts of debates I’ve seen in primaries and general elections almost always come in unscripted moments. It clearly benefits Biden because if you go back and look at the debates they had in 2020 between Biden and Trump, Trump just talks and talks and talks and talks. And that’s true in 2016 too; he just, over and over and over again, just talks. He interrupts, he bullies.”

Cillizza elaborated, “I do think it helps Biden because I think Trump just tries to get you off your pace, off your rhythm, off your game, right? Just by talking and talking and talking. So that’s rule one, benefit Biden one. Okay, there will be two commercial breaks. So this is different.”

Both Trump and Biden will see red lights indicating they have five seconds remaining, which will flash solid red when their time is up. Additionally, each candidate’s microphone will be silenced when it is the other’s turn to speak, according to The New York Times. Since their last debate, the former president has described Biden as the worst in the history of the United States. During their initial meeting four years ago, Trump dominated the conversation. In response, Biden reprimanded him, asking, “Will you keep quiet?”

CNN announced this weekend that the debate, which will be hosted by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta on June 27, will mark the first in-person showdown of the 2024 campaign between President Joe Biden and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump. Both candidates have accepted the network’s invitation and agreed to the rules and format of the debate, as outlined in letters sent to the campaigns by the network in May.

The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time. Both candidates agreed to appear at uniform podiums, and their podium positions will be determined by a coin flip.

Muted Microphones and Debate Dynamics

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. While no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

Some aspects of the debate, including the absence of a studio audience, will be a departure from previous debates. However, the moderators “will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion,” according to the network.

As the debate approaches, the discussion around its format and rules continues to generate controversy. Cillizza’s comments have fueled a broader debate about the fairness and integrity of the event. With both candidates prepared to take the stage under these new conditions, the upcoming debate promises to be a significant moment in the 2024 presidential campaign.