[KARAH RUCKER]

EARLIER THIS WEEK – IT WAS UNCLEAR IF WE WERE GOING TO SEE DONALD TRUMP AND PRESIDENT BIDEN DEBATE AHEAD OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

NOW – WE HAVE A DEBATE ON THE BOOKS FOR NEXT MONTH.

IT’S THE EARLIEST GENERAL ELECTION DEBATE EVER.

AND IT’S GOING TO BE A LITTLE UNCONVENTIONAL – A SIGN OF THE TIMES.

THE COMMISSION THAT USUALLY ORGANIZES PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES HAS BEEN CUT OUT.

IT’S THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1980’S THAT THE TRADITIONAL AVENUE FOR A DEBATE ISN’T BEING FOLLOWED.

INSTEAD.

BIDEN ISSUED A CHALLENGE TO TRUMP ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

TRUMP ACCEPTED.

BIDEN RELEASED A SET OF CONDITIONS FOR A DEBATE.

CNN SENT OUT AN INVITATION.

BIDEN AND TRUMP BOTH ACCEPTED.

HERE ARE THE CRITERIA.

NO CROWDS. JUST THE CANDIDATES AND MODERATORS IN THE ROOM.

BIDEN OFFERED FOUR VENUES – CNN. ABC. CBS. OR TELEMUNDO.

MICS WILL BE MUTED ONCE A CANDIDATE’S TIME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS RUNS OUT.

AND – NO THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES ON STAGE. MEANING NO RFK  JR ON STAGE.

TRUMP AGREED TO BIDEN’S TERMS – AFTER SAYING FOR MONTHS “ANYTIME. ANY PLACE.” 

THE DATE. JUNE 27TH. THE PLACE. CNN.

HOSTED BY CNN’S JAKE TAPPER AND DANA BASH –

WHO ARE HOPING FOR A BETTER DEBATE THIS GO AROUND THAN WHAT THEY LAST COVERED IN 2020.

“That was the worst debate ive ever seen, that wasn’t even a debate, it was a disgrace primarily because of trump.”

“You just took the words out of my mouth. You used some high-minded language, i’m just gonna say it like it is, that was a **** show.

THE CHOICE OF VENUE AND CHOSEN MODERATORS – HAS DRAWN A PARTISAN REACTION – FROM THE MEDIA.

“SEAN HANNITY – BIDEN WILL BE DEBATING IN FRIENDLY TERRITORY.”

“CNN’S JAKE TAPPER – WHO CALLED TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY A ‘NIGHTMARE’, TAPPED TO MODERATE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

“FOX NEWS IS ALREADY THROWING A HISSY FIT OVER NEXT MONTH’S CNN DEBATE.

“FOX NEWS HOSTS GO INTO MELTDOWN MODE OVER BIDEN-TRUMP DEBATE DEAL”

BEFORE THE DEBATES EVEN BEGIN –

LEADERS IN THE TWO MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE ALREADY TAKEN A HARD STANCE.

REPUBLICANS LARGELY SEEING THE DEBATE RULES AS LENIENT FOR BIDEN.

WHILE DEMOCRATS LARGELY SEE THE DEBATE RULES AS NECESSARY TO CONTROL TRUMP.

LARA TRUMP WHO IS NOW CO-CHAIR FOR THE RNC SAID –

“IT’S RIGGED SO HEAVILY IN JOE BIDEN’S FAVOR, BUT EVERYTHING ALWAYS IS.”

NANCY PELOSI SAID

[NANCY PELOSI]

“I myself would never recommend going on stage with Donald Trump, but the President has decided that’s what he wants to do. I think the format he is suggesting is a good one.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

WHILE THERE ARE PARTY-DIFFERENCES OVER HOW THE DEBATE IS SLATED TO GO –

THERE IS SOME BIPARTISAN CONSENSUS.

AMERICANS WILL TUNE IN TO SEE THE TWO CANDIDATES DEBATE.

EVEN IF – THEY AREN’T LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

“Well the image that comes to mind is those two little muppets, statler and waldorff, statler and waldorff alright.  

“but i actually think there’s going to be a huge audience. I think people have low expectations for what biden would do and high expectations for what trump and his competitiveness…i share the public’s perceptions, and we’ll see what happens.”

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