How to watch Thursday’s presidential debate

Tyler Nelson
·3 min read
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President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden talk at the same time during the final presidential debate at Belmont University, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. The first presidential debate of the 2024 election race will be broadcast live on CNN.
President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden talk at the same time during the final presidential debate at Belmont University, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020, in Nashville, Tenn. The first presidential debate of the 2024 election race will be broadcast live on CNN. | Jim Bourg
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President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will participate in the first debate of this year’s presidential race on Thursday night in Atlanta. This debate will be the first for both candidates, as neither participated in primary debates.

Where can I watch the presidential debate?

The first presidential debate of the 2024 election race will be broadcast live on CNN. It will also be available to stream on Max with a subscription, and on CNN.com for viewers without a cable login.

Fox News, ABC, NBC and C-SPAN will also air CNN’s coverage of the debate, and NPR will run a live blog on the debate.

What time is the presidential debate?

The debate begins at 9 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. MDT). It is scheduled to run for 90 minutes, with CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash moderating.

Who will be at the presidential debate?

Biden and Trump are the only candidates who will participate in the debate. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. failed to meet the requirements to qualify for the debate, as previously reported by the Deseret News.

What topics will be covered during the presidential debate?

Viewers can expect a wide range of talking points. Per NPR, issues that are expected to be discussed are:

  • Recent legal trouble for both candidates, including felony charges for Trump and Biden’s son Hunter Biden

  • Concerns about age and mental capacity for both candidates

  • The state of the economy

  • Immigration policy

  • International politics, including Ukraine and Israel aid

What are the new rules for the presidential debate?

In addition to being held months earlier than usual, Thursday’s debate will have different rules than previous debates, per PBS. The new set of rules has been agreed upon by both parties, and they include:

  • No live audience.

  • While one candidate is speaking, the other’s microphone will be muted.

  • There will be no opening statements.

  • After a coin flip, Biden will get the lectern position to the right, and Trump will get to deliver the closing statement.

  • No props or notes will be allowed on the stage. Candidates will only be allowed a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.

How many people are expected to watch the debate?

According to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, tens of millions of eyes will be on Thursday’s debate in one form or another.

According to the poll, 6 in 10 U.S. adults said they will likely watch the debate, whether that is live or in clips, or to read about the results in the news or on social media.

In addition, 55% of Democrats think the upcoming debate is either extremely or very important for Biden, and 51% of Republicans think the same about the importance of the debate for Trump.

Protests planned at, near debate spot

Several organizations have announced plans to protest today near CNN headquarters, according to The Associated Press.

The AJC’s Jozsef Papp reports that opponents of Atlanta’s planned police training center plan to mobilize ahead of the debate. Ditto for the Atlanta chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, which is organizing a protest calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.

Other groups also have announced plans to stage protests.