The future of presidential debates hangs in the balance as President Biden and Donald J. Trump have agreed to move forward with two debates without the involvement of the Commission on Presidential Debates. This decision deals a significant blow to an institution that has long been a key player in presidential politics.
The decline of the commission can be traced back over a decade, but it reached a tipping point in 2020 during the pandemic. The first debate between Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden was chaotic, with Mr. Trump’s Covid diagnosis leading to the cancellation of the second debate. The third debate saw the introduction of a mute button for the moderator to control unruly behavior.
The commission, created in 1987 by the leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties, has faced criticism from both sides. The Republican National Committee announced in 2022 that it would no longer work with the commission, citing bias towards Democrats. The campaigns have long sought to take control of the debates themselves, and now it seems they have succeeded.
The decision to bypass the commission raises questions about the future of presidential debates. Who will moderate? Will there be an audience? How will the format be structured? These are all issues that the commission traditionally handled, but now the campaigns will have to negotiate on their own.
Despite the uncertainty, some experts are hopeful that the commission will still play a role in the debates. Frank Fahrenkopf Jr., co-chair of the commission, expressed surprise at the campaigns’ decision but remains optimistic that they will ultimately allow the commission to step in and run the show.
The upcoming debates between President Biden and Mr. Trump will be closely watched to see how they unfold without the involvement of the commission. The future of this long-standing institution hangs in the balance as the candidates and networks negotiate the terms of the debates.
