CBS News has announced several key rules for the upcoming vice presidential debate, diverging from one significant guideline followed by ABC News during previous debates.
The upcoming debate on Tuesday, October 1, will be different from the September 10 presidential debate between Democrats Kamala Harris and Republican’ Donald Trump. Instead of muting microphones, both JD Vance and Tim Walz will have their microphones live for the entire debate.
While CBS News keeps the microphones on, it still holds the authority to switch off either candidate’s microphone if the moderators think it’s necessary.
At that event, the Harris campaign sought to keep both candidates’ microphones live but was ultimately unable to do so. Still, both camps have agreed that the live microphones will allow the vice presidential debate to continue as scheduled.
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When does the debate begin? Get the full schedule
The debate, set to take place at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City, will be moderated by CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell and Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan. The event will begin at 9 p.m. ET and run for 90 minutes, with two short breaks.
What’s new in this debate?
Unlike typical vice presidential debates where candidates are seated, both Vance and Walz will stand behind podiums for this event. Walz will be positioned on the right side of the television screen, while Vance will appear on the left. The moderators, meanwhile, will remain seated.
Each candidate will have two minutes to respond to questions, with an additional two minutes allocated to the opponent for rebuttal. Afterwards, each will have one minute for further rebuttal if needed. The moderators also have the discretion to extend discussions with additional time if necessary.
Candidates will be alerted to their time limits through lights in the studio, which will change colours to signal how much time remains: green when time is ample, yellow at 15 seconds, red flashing at five seconds, and solid red when the time expires.
Both candidates will have two minutes for closing statements. Vance will deliver his closing remarks second after winning a coin toss.
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Notably, Candidates are also prohibited from using pre-written notes or props during the debate, although they will be provided with a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water. Plus, campaign staff members will not be allowed to interact with the candidates during the breaks.
Similar to the previous presidential debate, this debate will not feature a live audience.
