On Politics

Thu Jun 27 2024

Sudiksha Kochi | Congress, Campaigns and Democracy Reporter

@KochiSudiksha

Hey OnPolitics readers! Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden will face off on Thursday night during the first presidential debate of the 2024 race for the White House.

The debate marks the first time the two men have formally sparred since the 2020 election, when Americans ultimately selected Biden over Trump. As the showdown approached, the president spent time meeting with advisers at the Camp David retreat , while the former president rallied his supporters at campaign stops in pivotal swing states.

Trump and Biden on Thursday night will attack their rival's record on issues ranging from reproductive rights to the U.S. southern border and inflation hitting Americans' wallets. But they'll also make their own pitch about how they would lead the nation for the next four years.

⏰ What time is the debate? And can I watch it without cable? The CNN Presidential Debate will begin at 9 p.m. ET, which is 8 p.m. CT and 6 p.m. PT. A livestream and recording of the first presidential debate will be available on USA TODAY's YouTube channel.

📍Where is the first presidential debate? The first presidential debate will take place at CNN's studio in Atlanta, Georgia,without a live studio audience.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

🎯What are some of CNN's rules? The debate won't feature a live studio audience – as other general election debates have in the past – and candidates' podium positions were determined by a coin flip. In case you were wondering, Biden will be standing on the right side of your screen.

And more notably, microphones will be muted throughout the debate except when it is a candidate's turn to speak, according to CNN.