The Commission on Presidential Debates has prided itself on setting neutral rules for candidate debates in every election since John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960.
The Biden and Trump campaigns have raised concerns over supposed bias and debates taking place after many mail-in ballots had been cast. In May, the candidates made a deal with CNN for a debate in June, and another with ABC for one in September, sidelining the CPD, who initially promised to try to continue with their debates.
On Monday, the CPD announced that the four sites set to host its debates, one of which was Lafayette College in Easton, had been released from their contracts.
In the statement, the CPD explained that President Biden is unwilling to debate this year in Commission-sponsored events. They apologized to the four campuses that agreed to host debates and will now lose their chance to “participate in these historic voter education forums.”
Thirty out of thirty-three total debates held by the CPD have taken place on college or university campuses, providing students with learning opportunities related to the events.
The first of the two planned debates takes place this Thursday, June 27, and will be moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper. There will be no studio audience, no opening statements, and no talking out of turn, as mics will only be turned on for each candidate when it's his turn to speak.
