Lead up to Second Presidential Primary Debate


PRESS RELEASES
July 18, 2019 - CNN conducts randow draws to determine lineups on stage

July 17, 2019 - DNC And CNN Announce Candidates Participating In Second Democratic Presidential Primary Debate

July 9, 2019 - CNN announces rules for next Democratic presidential debates

April 2, 2019 - Second DNC Presidential Primary Debate to be Held in Detroit

Feb. 14, 2019 - DNC Announces Details For The First Two Presidential Primary Debates
CNN  https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/17/politics/democratic-debate-lineup-draw-live/index.html
July 18, 2019

(CNN)The candidate lineups for the upcoming Democratic presidential debates in Detroit will be decided by a live, random draw Thursday night during a special edition of Anderson Cooper 360 at 8 p.m. ET on CNN and CNNgo....

...the random draw will be split into three parts to determine the lineups for each debate night. CNN and the DNC said they decided to establish three groupings "to ensure support for the candidates is evenly spread across both nights." Public polling was used to decide each grouping, CNN and DNC officials said.

  • The First Draw will include 10 candidates: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan and author Marianne Williamson.
  • The Second Draw will include six candidates: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke and businessman Andrew Yang.
  • The Final Draw will include four candidates: Former Vice President Joe Biden, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

CNN anchors Brianna Keilar (First Draw), Victor Blackwell (Second Draw) and Ana Cabrera (Final Draw) will conduct each draw separately in the 8 p.m. hour, with CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer introducing and recapping each draw. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will lead the conversation with political experts analyzing specific matchups and the strategies the candidates are likely to use in this highly anticipated debate.

During each draw, cards with a candidate's name will be placed into a dedicated box, while a second box will hold cards printed with the date of each night. For each draw, the anchor will retrieve a name card from the first box and then match it with a date card from the second box.
Once the draw is completed Thursday night, CNN will announce the podium positions -- based upon public polling -- for each debate night.

Three draw groups
The 20 candidates who made the debate stage did so by registering at least 1% in any three qualifying polls released from the beginning of the year through July 16.

In an effort to divide the candidates equally between the two debates based on their current standing in the polls, CNN is using the results of the eight qualifying polls released since the June debate. Based on an average of those eight polls, the candidates were divided into three groups:
Those averaging 10% or more, those averaging between 1% and 9.9%, and those averaging less than 1%.

Each of those three groups will be split in half by random draw during tonight's special edition of Anderson Cooper 360, so that half in each group appear on stage each night.

Podium order
Once all three groups have been divided into the two nights, the podium order will be revealed, and that, too, is based on public polling.

For those candidates who are averaging 1% or higher in the eight polls released since the June debate, podium placement will be determined based on that average, with candidates holding the highest averages standing in the center of the stage.

For the 10 candidates whose post-debate average is below 1%, podium placement will be determined instead based on their performance in all of the 37 qualifying polls conducted this year.

Podium placement for those 10 candidates will be determined first by the number of qualifying polls in which they received 1% support or more, and if there is a tie, an average of each candidate's best three qualifying polls will be the first tiebreaker. If there is still a tie based on those two measures, the post-June debate average will break that tie.


Democratic National Committee/CNN

July 17, 2019

DNC And CNN Announce Candidates Participating In Second Democratic Presidential Primary Debate

Today, the DNC and CNN announced that 20 candidates have been invited to participate in the second Democratic presidential primary debate. Each candidate was invited based on the qualification criteria agreed to by the DNC and CNN in February.


To ensure both nights are balanced based on candidate support, the DNC and CNN have mutually agreed that a random draw will be conducted live tomorrow night at 8pm ET on CNN.


The DNC and CNN previously announced that the second debate will take place over two nights, on July 30 and 31 in Detroit, Michigan.


Based on the qualification criteria agreed to by the DNC and CNN and announced in February 2019, the following candidates have been invited to participate in the first primary debate:


Sen. Michael Bennet


Vice President Joe Biden*


Sen. Cory Booker*


Gov. Steve Bullock


Mayor Pete Buttigieg*


Sec. Julian Castro*


Mayor Bill de Blasio


Rep. John Delaney


Rep. Tulsi Gabbard*


Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand*


Sen. Kamala Harris*


Gov. John Hickenlooper


Gov. Jay Inslee*


Sen. Amy Klobuchar*


Rep. Beto O’Rourke*


Rep. Tim Ryan


Sen. Bernie Sanders*


Sen. Elizabeth Warren*


Ms. Marianne Williamson*


Mr. Andrew Yang*


* Candidates marked by an asterisk qualified through both polling and grassroots fundraising thresholds. The remaining candidates qualified through polling only.


The debates will be broadcast in the U.S. on CNN and around the world on CNN platforms; CNN SiriusXM Channels 116, 454,795; and the Westwood One Radio Network. 


CNN’s debates will stream live in their entirety, without requiring log–in to a cable provider, exclusively to CNN.com’s homepage, across mobile devices via CNN’s apps for iOS and Android, and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast and Android TV. The full debate nights will be available exclusively the day following the airing on demand via cable/satellite systems, on CNNgo (at CNN.com/go on your desktop, smartphone, and tablets, and via CNNgo OTT apps), and CNN mobile apps on iOS and Android.
CNN  By: Mark Preston, CNN
July 9, 2019

CNN announces rules for next Democratic presidential debates

(CNN) The upcoming Democratic presidential debates will feature opening and closing statements and two hours of debate time each night, representatives for more than 20 candidates competing in the primary were informed Tuesday by CNN.

CNN is airing the much-anticipated Democratic National Committee-sanctioned debates live from Detroit at 8 p.m. ET on July 30 and 31. Dana Bash, Don Lemon and Jake Tapper will serve together as the moderators for both debates.

While candidates will not officially learn if they make the Detroit stage until July 17, Tuesday's call with the 20-plus Democratic campaigns was held to help them prepare for the debate should their respective candidates qualify, a CNN spokesperson said.

The window to determine debate eligibility closes on July 16, and candidates will be informed the next day if they will be invited to participate in Detroit. On July 18, CNN will air a live draw to determine the specific candidate lineups for each debate night.

The campaign representatives also learned on Tuesday that candidates will be given 60 seconds to respond to a moderator-directed question, and 30 seconds for responses and rebuttals.

In addition, the campaign representatives were told:

  • Colored lights will be used to help the candidates manage their remaining response times: 15 seconds = yellow; 5 seconds = flashing red; no time remaining = solid red.
  • A candidate attacked by name by another candidate will be given 30 seconds to respond.
  • There will be no show of hands or one-word, down-the-line questions.
  • A candidate who consistently interrupts will have his or her time reduced.
  • Questions posed by the moderators will appear on the bottom of the screen for television viewers.
CNN and the DNC will also be casting wide nets to gauge voters' concerns and interests in the weeks leading up to the debate, the CNN spokesperson said.
Democratic National Committee
April 2, 2019

Second DNC Presidential Primary Debate to be Held in Detroit

Second debate hosted by CNN on July 30 - 31 in Detroit

Today, the DNC is proud to announce that the second presidential primary debate, broadcast live on CNN, will be held in Detroit, Michigan. The debate will take place in prime time on back-to-back nights on July 30 and 31.  

The debate will be broadcast live on CNN, CNN International, and CNN en Español. Our broadcast partners are fully committed to providing accessible communications for deaf and disabled audiences as well. An unauthenticated live stream of the debate will also be available for all users on CNN’s website, mobile apps and connected TVs via CNNgo.

The debate lineups for each night will be determined at random to provide each candidate with a fair opportunity to make his or her case to a large, national audience. Additional details on the venue, moderators, communication accessibility, and timing will be announced at a later date.

“Detroit embodies the values and character of the Democratic Party,” said DNC Chair Tom Perez. “It’s a city of grit and determination, a city that has gotten knocked down only to get back up stronger. With its diversity, its storied history, and its proud ties to the labor movement, Detroit is the perfect place for our party’s second debate.”

“Detroit is one of America’s great cities,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes. “For decades, the Motor City has been a critical pillar of our nation’s economy and an icon of American innovation. And I can’t wait to welcome our amazing Democratic candidates to Michigan as we show the American people that we are truly the party of working people.”
Democratic National Committee
February 14, 2018

DNC Announces Details For The First Two Presidential Primary Debates

NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo to host first debate in June; CNN to host second in July

Last year, DNC Chair Tom Perez announced that his goals for the Democratic presidential primary debates are to (1) give the grassroots a bigger voice than ever before; (2)  showcase our candidates on an array of media platforms; (3) present an opportunity for vigorous discussion about issues, ideas and solutions; and (4) reach as many potential voters as possible.  Perez announced 12 presidential primary debates to be held over the course of the 2020 cycle, with the first two occurring in June and July of 2019.

Today, the DNC is proud to announce NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo as its partner for the first debate and CNN as its partner for the second debate.  To accommodate what is expected to be a historically large primary field, both debates will have the option of occurring over consecutive nights in prime time to make room for as many as twenty candidates, with the lineups for each night determined at random.  This approach will provide each candidate with a fair opportunity to make his or her case to a large, national audience.

This agreement is unprecedented -  no debate has ever aired in prime time on back-to-back nights. Both debates will be streamed online for free.

The DNC also announced the qualification criteria for candidates’ participation in the first two debates - a two-path system that employs both a polling threshold and a grassroots fundraising threshold, and uses the two measures in combination in the event that more than 20 candidates qualify.
 
“As Chair of the DNC, I am committed to running an open and transparent primary process.  To that end, we’ve spent months working with media partners to provide this unprecedented opportunity for candidates and voters to get to know each other.  Because campaigns are won on the strength of their grassroots, we also updated the threshold, giving all types of candidates the opportunity to reach the debate stage and giving small-dollar donors a bigger voice in the primary than ever before.” - DNC Chair Tom Perez
 
DETAILS ON MEDIA PARTNERS:

  • The DNC will partner with NBC News, MSNBC and Telemundo to host the first debate of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary process. The debate will be broadcast simultaneously on all three networks, with real-time Spanish translations on Telemundo, in prime time on back-to-back weeknights in June. The debate will also be streamed for free on NBC News’ digital platforms including NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, NBC News Mobile App, and OTT apps in addition to Telemundo’s digital platforms.
  • The July debate will be broadcast on CNN, CNN International, and CNN en Español in prime time on back-to-back weeknights if more than one night is needed. An unauthenticated live stream of the debate will also be available for all users on CNN’s website, mobile apps and connected TVs via CNNgo.
  • Both agreements are unprecedented -  no debate has ever aired in prime time on back-to-back nights before.
  • Location, venue, moderators, date and time, format and logistics of the first and second debates will be announced at a later date.
 
DETAILS ON THRESHOLD FOR PARTICIPATION:

 

Democratic candidates may qualify for the first and second debate by meeting one of the two following sets of criteria:
 
  • Polling Method: Register 1% or more support in three polls (which may be national polls, or polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and/or Nevada) publicly released between January 1, 2019, and 14 days prior to the date of the Organization Debate.  Qualifying polls will be limited to those sponsored by one or more of the following organizations/institutions:Associated Press, ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Des Moines Register, Fox News, Las Vegas Review Journal, Monmouth University, NBC News, New York Times, National Public Radio (NPR), Quinnipiac University, Reuters, University of New Hampshire, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Washington Post, Winthrop University.  Any candidate’s three qualifying polls must be conducted by different organizations, or if by the same organization, must be in different geographical areas.
  • Grassroots Fundraising Method. Candidates may qualify for the debate by demonstrating that the campaign has received donations from at least (1) 65,000 unique donors; and (2) a minimum of 200 unique donors per state in at least 20 U.S. states.  To demonstrate that the fundraising threshold has been reached, candidates must provide verifiable evidence, which they may do by authorizing ActBlue and/or NGP VAN to provide that evidence.
  • If more than 20 candidates qualify for the debate, the top 20 candidates will be selected using a methodology that gives primacy to candidates meeting both thresholds, followed by the highest polling average, followed by the most unique donors.

Press Contacts:

DNC
Adrienne Watson
Trump War Room Director

NBC News
Richard Hudock
Director of Communications

CNN
Lauren Pratapas
Senior Director, Communications