Jun 27, 2024, 9:04 PM EDT
Candidates take the stage
Biden and Trump are now at the lecterns. The two entered from different sides of the stage and did not shake hands.
Biden falters in high-stakes debate, Trump spews falsehoods
The contest was seen as a test of each man's fitness for office.
Last Updated: June 27, 2024, 6:02 PM EDT
In a historic clash of personality and policy, Joe Biden and Donald Trump took the stage for the first presidential debate of the 2024 election.
The showdown provided a rare opportunity for both candidates to move the needle in what has been a stubbornly tight race for the White House, but at the end of the night, Biden's halting performance raised new concerns among Democrats and cause Republicans to celebrate.
The debate was a rematch for Biden and Trump, who faced each other twice in 2020, but a first-of-its-kind format and a vastly different political landscape presented new challenges for the two rivals.
Top headlines:
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Here's how the debate developed:
Jun 27, 2024, 8:59 PM EDT
Melania Trump not attending debate
ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott reported that Melania Trump will not be at the debate.
The former first lady has made few appearances on the campaign trail as her husband seeks another term.
Jun 27, 2024, 8:54 PM EDT
Biden pokes fun at Trump's jabs about performance-enhancing substances
Biden posted a photo on x taking a shot at Trump's allegations that he's taking performance-enhancing substances for the debate.
The president is seen holding a can of water with the "Dark Brandon" meme image claiming to be "Dark Brandon's secret sauce." The can, which will go on sale on the Biden campaign's site next month, has a statement in bold letters "Get real, Jack. It's just water."
Joe Biden/X
"I don't know what they've got in these performance enhancers, but I'm feeling pretty jacked up. Try it yourselves, folks. See you in a bit," the X post said.
Jun 27, 2024, 8:44 PM EDT
Muted mics and other new ground rules for tonight
For the first time since the first televised debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, there will be no live audience at CNN's studio in Atlanta.
The candidates' microphones will be muted unless it is their turn to speak. They will have two minutes to respond to questions and one minute for rebuttals, and there will be a red flashing light to indicate to them their time is about to expire.
3:02
Biden and Trump to square off on debate stage with no audience, muted microphones
The debate will not feature an audience and microphones will be unmuted only when it is a candidate's turn to speak. ABC News' Rachel Scott reports from Atlanta.
The 90-minute program will have two commercial breaks, but Trump and Biden won’t be able to consult with their teams during them. No props or note cards are allowed on stage.
Here's what experts said about the new rules, and how they may help or hurt each candidate.
