Plot Synopsis

During each four-year election cycle for United States President, the candidates for major parties face-off in a series of debates in the weeks leading up to Election Day. The format and topic of each debate is different, and, in consultation with the sponsor, the candidates agree upon all aspects of the debate beforehand. The first televised general election presidential debate took place on September 26, 1960, as Senator John F. Kennedy (D) debated Vice President Richard M. Nixon (R) at WBBM-TV in Chicago about domestic issues. The debate, seen by a combined 66.4 million viewers, was broadcast by all three television networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- from 9:30-10:30pm ET, with CBS News' Howard K. Smith as moderator. Panelists for this debate included: Sander Vanocur, NBC News; Charles Warren, Mutual News; Stuart Novins, CBS. On Monday, September 26, 2016 at 9pm ET/6pm PT -- on the 56th anniversary of the first televised Presidential debate -- ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS and multiple cable news networks debuted a live broadcast of the first of three debates between candidates for U.S. President in the 2016 general election. Moderated by NBC NIGHTLY NEWS anchor Lester Holt at Hofstra University in Hempstead on Long Island, the first debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump will last approximately 90 minutes (commercial free), focusing on three topics: America's direction; achieving prosperity; and securing America. With just six weeks left until the general election on November 8 and with recent polls showing a close race with many undecided voters, this first Clinton-Trump debate is expected to draw more than 80 million viewers across all networks, breaking the viewership record for the 1980 debate between Democratic President Jimmy Carter and Republican nominee Ronald Reagan.
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On Tuesday, September 10, 2024 at 9pm ET/6pm PT, ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, and multiple additional cable new networks broadcast live coverage of the first debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, the two candidates for U.S. President in the 2020 general election. The debate takes place at the National Constitution Center (525 Arch St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19106). WORLD NEWS TONIGHT anchor and managing editor David Muir and WORLD NEWS TONIGHT Sunday anchor and ABC News Live PRIME anchor Linsey Davis serve as moderators. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have qualified for the debate under the established criteria, and both have accepted the following debate rules, which include the following:

- The debate will be 90 minutes with two commercial breaks.
- The two seated moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, will be the only people asking questions.
- A coin flip was held virtually on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to determine podium placement and order of closing statements; former President Donald Trump won the coin toss and chose to select the order of statements. The former president will offer the last closing statement, and Vice President Harris selected the right podium position on screen (stage left).
- Candidates will be introduced by the moderators.
- The candidates enter upon introduction from opposite sides of the stage; the incumbent party will be introduced first.
- No opening statements; closing statements will be two minutes per candidate.
- Candidates will stand behind podiums for the duration of the debate.
- Props or prewritten notes are not allowed onstage.
- No topics or questions will be shared in advance with campaigns or candidates.
- Candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
- Candidates will have two-minute answers to questions, two-minute rebuttals, and one extra minute for follow-ups, clarifications, or responses.
- Candidates' microphones will be live only for the candidate whose turn it is to speak and muted when the time belongs to another candidate.
- Candidates will not be permitted to ask questions of each other.
- Campaign staff may not interact with candidates during commercial breaks.
- Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion.
- There will be no audience in the room.