CNN’s debate night control room will mute the microphones of candidates when it is not their turn to speak.
How will the mute button work?
Behind the podiums, there will be two green lights which are a signal that his microphones are on. When the lights are off, the microphone is mute. CNN showed how the mute button will work and how will viewers see it on their screen. When a candidate speaks, the microphone of the other remains off and at that time if the second one interrupts the first one, his voice will not reach the viewers — he will only be seen miming.
But as they are be standing at lecterns that are only 8 feet apart, they will hear each other, even if on mute.
In the demo video, CNN reiterated that both the campaign agreed to abide by these rules. “By agreeing to participate in this debate, both campaigns and candidates have also agreed to abide by these rules,” CNN said.
The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks, and campaign staff cannot interact with their candidate during the break, the network said. The second debate between Biden and Trump is slated for September on ABC.
CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, already accused by Trump’s campaign of spreading fake news against Trump, will use “all tools at their disposal” to ensure a civilized discussion.
The debate starts at 9 pm and will continue for 90 minutes — with only two commercial breaks. This is a normal length for a presidential debate, but the commercial breaks are noteworthy: General-election debates in past cycles, sponsored by the Commission on Presidential Debates rather than an individual news organization, did not have them. The candidates will not be allowed to talk to their aides during the commercial breaks, but they will have time to take a breather and collect themselves in a way they would not have in past years.
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