As Clock Ticks, Final Touches Put on CNN Debate

ATLANTA — Filing swiftly through the press checkpoint outside the McCamish Pavilion here on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a phalanx of technicians set to work transforming rows of empty tables and chairs into a world-class broadcast center.

They used to call this space the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, and even now sometimes refer to it as “the Thrillerdome,” but for the next two days the 8,600-seat home of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will serve as the near-center of the political universe.

Next door — or rather, just across 10th Street, at the headquarters of CNN — the stage was literally being set for the first presidential candidate debate between the incumbent Democrat President Joe Biden and his Republican challenger, former President Donald Trump.

Passersby who strolled down Atlanta’s Techwood Drive could see the preparations at the actual debate site, despite the black mesh stretched the length of the tall fence that surrounded the CNN property. 

Behind the mesh what appeared to be a stage for anchors was clearly visible, and either side of the courtyard, two buildings bore debate banners.

Just down the hill, at the pavilion, the venue’s basketball court was covered in lush red carpet, with an ad hoc studio set up to one side for post-debate, spin room interviews.

On the concourse, above the stadium-style seats that will presumably remain empty Thursday night, row upon row of seating for credentialed members of the press ringed the entire scene.

Every section had at least three large-screen monitors to allow the reporters to watch the debate, which will also play on the large screens built into the overhead scoreboard.

As for the debate participants, neither will arrive in Atlanta until Thursday afternoon, with the president flying into Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia, and Trump, into the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

As previously reported by The Well News, the debate itself will be a little different from those the public — and the current candidates — are accustomed to.

To begin with, there will be no studio audience, and in order to keep things running smoothly — or as smoothly as a live event watched by millions can go — a mute button controlled by CNN will turn off a candidate’s microphone when his opponent is speaking — a bid to limit distracting interruptions.

CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will be delivering the questions to the candidates and, to the extent possible, will also be trying to do some real-time fact-checking.

As an act of public service, CNN is allowing ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, PBS and C-SPAN to carry the CNN debate feed.

Once the debate ends, surrogates for both candidates will arrive in the spin room, where they’ll explain why they think their candidate “won.” 

Meanwhile, both Biden and Trump are expected to leave the city immediately after the debate, with the president and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a Friday campaign event, and then going on to New York and New Jersey for fundraising events.

There’s no word yet on Trump’s post-debate plans.

Shades of Trump during the primary, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to hold an alternative debate “live” from Los Angeles, California, and carried over the X social media platform.

There is no word on format, though the campaign said in a press release that there will be a live audience.

Like the CNN debate, the Kennedy event will begin at 9 p.m. Thursday night.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue