What Are CNN's New Rules for the First 2024 Biden-Trump Debate?

Over the weekend, CNN (Lean Left bias) announced new rules for its June 27 presidential debate, which were agreed upon by both candidates. 

The Details: These rules stipulate that microphones will be muted unless it is the candidate's turn to speak, candidates will stand at positions determined by a coin flip, and no pre-written notes will be allowed. The debate will not feature a live studio audience — a significant shift from previous debates. CNN reportedly proposed a seated format at first, but former President Donald Trump insisted on standing at podiums. CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate the 90-minute debate at the network’s studio in Atlanta, GA. Another debate is scheduled to be hosted by ABC News (Lean Left bias) on September 10.

For Context: Some see the new rules, particularly the microphone muting, as a preventive measure to avoid interruptions during candidate turns — an issue that marred previous debates. 

How The Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum continued on Monday, with some visible splits in framing. Breitbart (Right bias) framed the rules as “controversial” and framed President Joe Biden as caving to pressure from Trump. NewsNation (Center bias), meanwhile, highlighted an interview with a Democratic strategist who said CNN’s rules could help Biden. This summary was developed with the help of AllSides' AI technology.