Politics
WATCH: CNN Demonstrates How Crucial Rule Will Be Enforced During Trump-Biden Debate
CNN aired a demonstration of how its audio presentation will work during Thursday night’s presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Trump and Biden are set to face off in the first of at least two presidential debates on Thursday evening. The first debate will include a number of stipulations that were insisted upon by the Biden Campaign, including the lack of a studio audience, as well as a friendly moderator in CNN’s Jake Tapper, who has made his disdain for the former president known on a number of occasions.
The debate will also feature a rule that will require the opposing candidate’s microphone to be muted while the other is speaking. This, like the other requirements, was insisted upon by the Biden Campaign.
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With a little more than 24 hours to go before Thursday night’s debate, CNN aired a demonstration on how the microphone setup will play out.
CNN’s Victor Blackwell explained that each podium will contain a set of green lights that will be activated when each candidate is given their respective time to answer questions. Blackwell and his colleague then demonstrated how it will sound and look if one of the candidates attempts to interrupt the other.
“My volume remains uninterrupted while Phil’s interruptions can be difficult to understand,” Blackwell said while his colleague could barely be heard.
“Now CNN’s production team has shared this demonstration with the campaigns earlier today, we’re sharing it with you, our viewers, so everyone fully understands how tomorrow night will work,” explained CNN host Phil Mattingly. “We should note; by agreeing to participate in this debate, both campaigns and candidates have also agreed to abide by these rules.”
Thursday’s debate will be the first of at least two clashes between Trump and Biden by November. A second debate will be hosted by ABC News on September 10.
Former President Trump has agreed to two additional debates with his political rival — including one with Telemundo — though the Biden campaign has declined.
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