DemDaily: The Download on the Debate
June 26, 2019
20 million viewers. 600 journalists on the ground. 10 candidates.
Tonight kicks off the first Democratic presidential debate when ten of 20 primary contenders will grace the stage for night one of the debate.
Each candidate will have approximately eight minutes total to distinguish themselves through signature policy ideas, charisma and, potentially, attacks on others.
Candidates will have 60 seconds to answer questions and 30 seconds to respond to follow-ups. There will be no opening statements, but candidates will have a chance to deliver closing remarks.
How It Works
The Democratic National Committee sets the guidelines for the anticipated 12 official party debates over the course of the 2020 presidential cycle, six of which will be held in 2019 and six next year.
The Onstage Line Up (Image: MSNBC)
In deciding the final 20 debate participants, candidates crossing both the polling and fundraising thresholds rank over candidates who only crossed one. The remaining debaters qualify based on polling performance.
Qualifying candidates are split into two groups, those polling at or above 2%, and those below, and will be randomly and evenly divided among the two nights. Within each night, candidates are positioned from the center-out according to their polling numbers.
(Image: MSNBC)
The candidates, and the questioners, will historically be the most diverse group on a presidential debate stage. In adhering to the DNC's request, media partners have committed to having at least one woman and one person of color moderate each debate.
Qualifications: Debates 1 & 2
1) Meet a 1% polling threshold in at least three separate national or early primary state polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada, or
2) Receive donations from 65,000 individual donors, with a minimum of 200 unique donors in at least 20 states.
DNC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE SCHEDULE
| Date | Wednesday, June 26th & Thursday, June 27th |
| Time | 9:00pm - 11:00pm ET |
| Location |
The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami, Florida
|
| Candidates /June 26th | Booker, Castro, de Blasio, Delaney, Gabbard, Inslee, Klobuchar, O'Rourke, Ryan, Warren |
| Candidates /June 27th | Bennet, Biden, Buttigieg, Gillibrand, Harris, Hickenlooper, Sanders, Swalwell, Williamson, Yang |
| Networks | NBC, MSNBC and Telemundo |
| Moderators | Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie and Jose Diaz-Balart in the first hour. Lester Holt, Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow in the second hour |
| Live Streaming | NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, NBC News Mobile App, OTT apps, and Telemundo's digital platforms. DNC Website |
| Qualifications | 1% polling threshold in three approved polls between, January 1, 2019 and 14 days prior to the date of the debate, or 65,000 individual donations from a minimum of 200 unique donors in 20 states |
Polls must be among approved national or early state polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada. Any qualifying poll must include a full list of presidential candidates for respondents.
Those who did not qualify for the first debate include Governor Steve Bullock (MT), Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam, Congressman Seth Moulton (MA) and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel. A 25th candidate, former Congressman Joe Sestak (PA) entered the race June 23rd.
| Date | Tuesday, July 30th and Wednesday, July 31st. Time: TBD |
| Location | The Fox Theatre, Detroit, Michigan |
| Candidates | TBD |
| Networks | CNN, CNN International, and CNN en Español |
| Live Streaming | CNN's website, mobile apps and connected TVs via CNNgo. DNC website |
| Qualifications | 1% polling threshold in three approved polls, between January 1, 2019 and 14 days prior to the date of the debate, or 65,000 individual donations from a minimum of 200 unique donors in 20 states |
Qualifications: Debates 3 & 4
To qualify for the debate stage, primary candidates must meet both the new polling requirements and the grassroots fundraising qualifications, which have doubled.
1) Meet a 2% polling threshold in at least four separate national or early primary state polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada, and
2) Receive donations from 130,000 individual donors, with a minimum of 400 unique donors in at least 20 states.
| Date | Thursday, September 12th and Friday, September 13th. Time and Location TBD |
| Candidates | TBD |
| Networks | ABC News, in partnership with Univision |
| Live Streaming | ABC News Live, ABCNews website and apps, as well as Hulu Live, The Roku Channel, and Facebook Watch. DNC Website |
| Qualifications | 2% polling threshold in four approved polls between June 28th and August 28th, and 130,000 individual donations from a minimum of 400 unique donors in 20 states |
The October, November and December 2019 debates are yet to be scheduled.
DemList will keep you informed.
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Sources: MSNBC, ABC, CNN, DNC
