2nd Debate Will Have New Rules

Democratic candidates are back at it Tuesday and Wednesday nights
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 30, 2019 7:23 AM CDT
2nd Debate Will Have New Rules
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a town hall campaign stop at Custom Training Solutions in Toledo, Ohio, on Monday, July 29, 2019. The visit came a day before her appearance in the Democratic Party primary debate in Detroit.   (Kurt Steiss/The Blade via AP)

The Democratic candidates are back for their second debate, and once again the festivities will be split over two nights—10 candidates each on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Unlike the first debate on NBC, the second one on CNN will not feature raise-your-hand or yes-or-no questions, reports the AP. Candidates will get 60 seconds to answer questions and 30 seconds for rebuttals. The moderators are Jake Tapper, Don Lemon, and Dana Bash. Here's a preview:

  • When: The debates will run 8 to 10pm Tuesday and Wednesday on CNN. A free online stream will be available at CNN.com.
  • Who: Tuesday's lineup (in order of how they'll appear on stage, per CBS) is Marianne Williamson, Tim Ryan, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Beto O'Rourke, John Hickenlooper, John Delaney, and Steve Bullock. Wednesday's lineup is Michael Bennet, Kirsten Gillibrand, Julian Castro, Cory Booker, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Andrew Yang, Tulsi Gabbard, Jay Inslee, and Bill de Blasio.
  • Tuesday's big show: The most anticipated matchup Tuesday night is between progressives Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. Politico has a preview, noting that things have stayed largely cordial between the pair. On Tuesday, they're more likely to spar with other moderate candidates than with each other.

  • Wednesday's big show: All eyes will be on Joe Biden, who has been more aggressively fighting back against race-related criticism from Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, notes the New York Times. Harris in particular went after him on the subject in the first debate. Fireworks again?
  • Do or die: Roughly speaking, about half the candidates debating Tuesday and Wednesday are not expected to make the cut for the third debate in September, notes NPR. Currently, only eight qualify (Biden, Sanders, Warren, Harris, Buttigieg, O'Rourke, Booker, and Yang), meaning that other candidates need break-out moments.
  • Mayor Pete: After a great spring, Buttigieg has "faded" into a second-tier candidate, writes Chris Cillizza at CNN. He had a solid first debate, but he's likely to "take more incoming" in the second. How he handles it could determine whether he remains a second-tier candidate.
  • Klobuchar: She needs a boost and has acknowledged that she held back in the first debate, notes NPR. The Minnesota senator also is known for her quick wit, all of which adds up to a key question: Will she be one of the lower-tier candidates to break out?
  • Not in: Candidates not making the cut for the second debate are Seth Moulton, Tom Steyer, Mike Gravel, Joe Sestak, and Wayne Messam.
(More Democratic debate stories.)

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