Debate Commission Co-Chair Slams CNN Over Rules Of Trump-Biden Face-Off
CNN earned the rebuke of the co-chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates over their decision to make changes to the typical format of presidential debates as they prepare to host the first one of the 2024 campaign cycle between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.
Biden’s campaign informed the commission in May that they would not take part in any of the debates organized by them, saying they would instead plan to join some hosted by TV networks, accusing the committee of being “unable or unwilling to enforce the rules in the 2020 debates,” among other things.
The two candidates then went ahead and agreed on the dates themselves, effectively circumventing the nonpartisan commission, which is typically tasked with organizing the events.
CNN was granted the first one set to take place Thursday in Atlanta before Biden and Trump officially become their respective party’s nominees at their party conventions later this summer.
In an interview with The Hill’s Evening Report published Wednesday, Frank Fahrenkopf, the chairperson of the Commission on Presidential Debates, said the commission “is not going away.”
“We’ll be back in 2028,” he said.
Meanwhile, he slammed the network for parting ways with many of the traditions of presidential debates, including by not allowing an in-person audience to attend the debate — a decision he blamed on Biden’s campaign.
“They’re saying there shouldn’t be an audience because people clap and cheer and scream, but that’s not true,” Fahrenkopf said. “That happens at primary debates, not presidential debates. That’s a phony thing the Biden people came up with.”
The microphones of the candidates will also be muted unless it’s their turn to speak, the network announced.
Fahrenkopf also criticized CNN’s decision to feature two commercial breaks during the 90-minute event, suggesting it was an inappropriate choice.
“This is an important part of American civics,” Fahrenkopf said. “Why would you break twice to run ads?”
The network has noted campaign staff won’t be allowed to talk to their candidates during the two breaks. Trump and Biden are also not allowed to bring prewritten notes, but they will be handed a pen and a notepad.
Besides, Fahrenkopf suggested that people brought onto the network’s air to discuss the debate following its conclusion could have trouble providing “fair analysis” given their employer was hosting it, calling it a “real challenge.”
CNN did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment on Fahrenkopf’s criticisms.
The debate will be moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper.
