As President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump arrive in Atlanta for a presidential debate at CNN tonight, here is what media outlets are saying:
Jason L. Riley at the Wall Street Journal: Will Thursday be an inflection point? Mr. Trump was eager to debate, but Mr. Biden was reluctant—until he got his terms. These included no studio audience, no third-party candidates, a friendly host (CNN), and microphones that can be muted if a candidate speaks out of turn. Now it’s up to the president to replicate his widely praised State of the Union performance from March, but without the teleprompter.
Frank Luntz at the New York Times: And it’s not just the candidate’s personal performance that leaves an impression. Sometimes forces that are less visible, like the debate rules, play a major role in determining the outcome. The length of time given to respond to questions from the moderator can reward or punish candidates, depending on their individual styles and ability to communicate succinctly.
E.J. Dionne at The Washington Post: Trump needs to energize more voters, constrain himself to look reasonable, hide his love of conspiracy theories and not make the debate about himself. Count me as skeptical that he can pull all this off.
Read our full story to see what other outlets are saying.
This was originally published on our Live Updates page.
