US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to hold two campaign debates, the first on June 27 hosted by CNN and the second on Sept. 10 hosted by ABC, Associated Press reports.
This follows Biden’s announcement that he won’t participate in fall debates organized by the nonpartisan commission. Instead, his campaign proposed direct organization by media outlets. Both candidates quickly accepted the proposed debate schedule. The debates are seen as critical moments in a year where voters are underwhelmed by their choices and concerned about the candidates’ ages.
The June debate will be held in Atlanta without an audience by CNN with moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. ABC’s event details were not provided, but it will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis. Both networks set a qualification threshold of 15% in four national polls for candidates to participate. Third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized Biden and Trump for trying to exclude him.
Both campaigns have criticized the nonpartisan commission’s handling of debates in the past, with Biden’s campaign objecting to proposed fall debate dates and Trump’s campaign accusing the commission of bias. The commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring substantive debates for the widest audience.
