Watch live: Biden, Trump face off in 1st 2024 presidential debate
The first presidential debate between incumbent Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump is here.
The much-anticipated face-off between Trump, who has now been convicted of 34 felony counts with serious charges pending in three other indictments, and Biden, whose age and his ability to carry out his job is constantly being called into question, will be watched or followed by most U.S. adults on Thursday, according to an Associated Press poll.
Biden and Trump will debate at a CNN studio in Atlanta, Georgia, beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
Trump's private plane has landed in Atlanta ahead of Thursday's first general election presidential debate.
A group of his supporters gathered on the tarmac to witness the landing and cheered as he touched down.
First Lady Jill Biden has arrived for the debate at Dobbins Air Reserve Base.
Her plane taxied past Air Force One where her husband had deplaned about 90 minutes earlier.
Like the president, Jill Biden was greeted by Democratic officials from metro Atlanta.
She then made a brief stop at a Biden-Harris fundraising retreat at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Atlanta, where she said of her husband: "I know Joe's ready to go. He's prepared; he's confident. You've all seen him today. You know what a great debater he is. And good is on his side."
Biden has arrived in Atlanta.
Air Force One landed shortly after 3 p.m. local time at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia.
There were several top local Democrats waiting to meet the president, including Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Atlanta Mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young, former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, former state Senate Majority Leader and gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, DeKalb CEO-Elect Lorraine Cochran Johnson, and former state Senator Jason Carter.
Trump is not scheduled to arrive until 5:30 p.m. He will be landing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Biden and Trump prepare to debate for the 1st time in 2024
Thursday's debate in Atlanta will mark at least a couple firsts — never before have two White House contenders faced off at such advanced ages and never before has CNN hosted a general election presidential debate.
Ahead of the debate, both Biden and Trump agreed that there will be no audience present and no opening statements.
Each candidate's microphone will be muted, except when it's his turn to speak. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. The candidates will be given only a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
A coin flip determined that Trump would deliver the final closing statement.
The event will be moderated by CNN's Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, two well-respected anchors who have not been shy about calling out Trump's lies and conspiracy theories.
While Bash and Tapper have led critical coverage of Biden at times as well, Biden's camp is no doubt hoping that they'll play an active role in rejecting Trump's potential falsehoods in real time. While Biden's microphone will be muted when Trump is speaking, for example, the moderators' mics will not.
Both Biden and Trump supporters view the debate as a major test for their candidate — or just a spectacle not to miss.
Biden and Trump will debate about pressing issues at the top of Americans' minds for 90 minutes.
The next debate is set for September and will be hosted by ABC News.
The network has not offered details on where its event would be held, only that it would be moderated by anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis.
And don't forget about the running mates. Trump hasn't named his yet, but Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted an invitation from CBS News to debate her eventual rival in studio on either July 23 or Aug. 13.
The CNN Presidential Debate Simulcast will air on LiveNOW from FOX.
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