Presidential debates 2016: schedule and what to expect

The first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 26, 2016.

For decades now, these debates have been the marquee events of the general election season. They’re often the only time the two major party nominees come face to face, and they tend to draw between 30 million and 70 million viewers. So there’s a whole lot at stake.

But many of the details about this year’s debates are still to be determined, including who will moderate and whether Trump will even show up. Here’s a guide to what we know so far.

Monday, September 26, 2016: First presidential debate in Hempstead, New York, at Hofstra University

Tuesday, October 4, 2016: Vice presidential debate in Farmville, Virginia, at Longwood University

Sunday, October 9, 2016: Second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University (this debate will be in a "town meeting" format, in which several questions will be posed by undecided voters in the audience)

Wednesday, October 19, 2016: Third presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the University of Nevada

That final debate will take place just two weeks and six days before Election Day (Tuesday, November 8).

Open Questions:

Will 3rd party candidates make the debates?

Will Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Evan McMullin be invited to the debates?

The question of whether a third-party candidate gets into the debates will mainly depend on how well he or she is polling.

The debate commission will average the most recent polls from each of the following five organizations: ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News, and NBC/Wall Street Journal.

A candidate will have to poll 15 percent according to this metric to qualify for an invitation.

Who will Moderate

According to Politico, several buzzed-about moderator possibilities are Martha Raddatz of ABC, Megyn Kelly of Fox News, John Dickerson of CBS, Jake Tapper of CNN, Chuck Todd or Lester Holt of NBC, and Gwen Ifill of PBS.

Will Trump back out?

In late July and early August, Donald Trump publicly complained about the scheduling of the debates (which was set last year through a bipartisan process) and said he wanted a say in who moderated the events. Hillary Clinton responded to Trump’s complaints by saying she’d agree to participate in all of the scheduled debates.

After some speculation that Trump was planning to back out of the events altogether, he did tell Time magazine that he would "absolutely do three debates," but emphasized again that he wanted to "see the conditions" before agreeing.

www.vox.com...

Well there you have it folks...the Debate schedule in one place here and the relevant questions.

Interested in predictions as to how you think these debates will unfold and what they will look like?

Will they pick Megyn Kelly as a Moderator?

Will Trump back out?

What conditions do you think he is going to demand?

Same as all debates, I fully expect a liberally biased host to ask questions to Hillary such as:

"It's hard being a woman, isn't it?"
"How are your grand kids?"
"What's it like to have live such an accomplished life"

And then ask Trump questions such as:

"Why are you so racist?"
"Will you concede the election to Hillary?"
"I hate your face"

a reply to: jjkenobi

Honest question for you...

What objective/non-bias question would you like to see both candidates given?

originally posted by: Indigo5

Will Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Evan McMullin be invited to the debates?

The question of whether a third-party candidate gets into the debates will mainly depend on how well he or she is polling.

The debate commission will average the most recent polls from each of the following five organizations: ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News, and NBC/Wall Street Journal.

A candidate will have to poll 15 percent according to this metric to qualify for an invitation.

Such a ridiculous metric. If they are going to use polling to decide, then why not just poll voters and ask if they would like to see third parties included in the debates?

I know plenty of people voting for one of the two-party candidates but they also would like to see third party candidates included in the debates.

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: Indigo5

Will Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Evan McMullin be invited to the debates?

The question of whether a third-party candidate gets into the debates will mainly depend on how well he or she is polling.

The debate commission will average the most recent polls from each of the following five organizations: ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News, and NBC/Wall Street Journal.

A candidate will have to poll 15 percent according to this metric to qualify for an invitation.

Such a ridiculous metric. If they are going to use polling to decide, then why not just poll voters and ask if they would like to see third parties included in the debates?

I know plenty of people voting for one of the two-party candidates but they also would like to see third party candidates included in the debates.

I agree wholeheartedly. That both the Libertarian and Green party candidates aren't being included automatically just goes to show how rigged things are.

Hell, they should include EVERY person who has signed up as a Presidential candidate and paid the filing fee. It's not like some of those crazy overall-wearing backwoods yahoos that pop up every year as candidates are any less scary than the MSM candidates. I'm sure they'd all have good points to make and provide needed comic relief, all in one swell foop.

a reply to: SentientCentenarian

If there's room for ten republican candidates in a debate, then there's room for the third party candidates. And if that's not always going to be feasible, then why not just poll people about what third party candidates they would like to see included.

A small handful of people who are simply responding to a poll -- about their current preference -- have way too much power to protect the two-party cabal by just answering a poll question...and I doubt they even think about that when they are responding.

So will they be sitting or standing?

originally posted by: MotherMayEye

originally posted by: Indigo5

Will Gary Johnson, Jill Stein, and Evan McMullin be invited to the debates?

The question of whether a third-party candidate gets into the debates will mainly depend on how well he or she is polling.

The debate commission will average the most recent polls from each of the following five organizations: ABC/Washington Post, CBS/New York Times, CNN/Opinion Research Corporation, Fox News, and NBC/Wall Street Journal.

A candidate will have to poll 15 percent according to this metric to qualify for an invitation.

Such a ridiculous metric. If they are going to use polling to decide, then why not just poll voters and ask if they would like to see third parties included in the debates?

I know plenty of people voting for one of the two-party candidates but they also would like to see third party candidates included in the debates.

Having seen a few election cycles, I will note this on the positive side..Many polls are including the 3rd party candidates in the mix which gives them a shot at reaching the 15% hurdle. In past elections (and nomination debates) they would even poll 3rd party candidates to any degree..which didn't afford them a chance.

It will be interesting to see if they include a 3rd party in these debates.

a reply to: MotherMayEye

"Such a ridiculous metric."

I am in total agreement.

I also have not been able to figure out exactly when this magical polling is to take place that will determine if outsiders get to participate.

15% seems awfully high and exclusionary. Especially when you consider that most polls show the two major party candidates within 5% of each other. A candidate that gets under 10% could easily make the difference in this election, especially if they pull most of their voters from a single candidate.

a reply to: MotherMayEye


"If there's room for ten republican candidates in a debate, then there's room for the third party candidates. And if that's not always going to be feasible, then why not just poll people about what third party candidates they would like to see included."


Great point. Think how bare the Republican debate stage would have been if you had needed 15% polling support to be in the debate.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
Same as all debates, I fully expect a liberally biased host to ask questions to Hillary such as:

"It's hard being a woman, isn't it?"
"How are your grand kids?"
"What's it like to have live such an accomplished life"

And then ask Trump questions such as:

"Why are you so racist?"
"Will you concede the election to Hillary?"
"I hate your face"

And then again, back in the real world, I massively doubt this.

Im going to make a prediction that in the 2nd presidential debate the "un decided voters" asking questions throw soft balls at Hillary and flaming fast balls at Trumps head.

Sunday, October 9, 2016: Second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University (this debate will be in a "town meeting" format, in which several questions will be posed by undecided voters in the audience)

originally posted by: sirlancelot
Im going to make a prediction that in the 2nd presidential debate the "un decided voters" asking questions throw soft balls at Hillary and flaming fast balls at Trumps head.

Sunday, October 9, 2016: Second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University (this debate will be in a "town meeting" format, in which several questions will be posed by undecided voters in the audience)

And your 'prediction' is based on what exactly?

originally posted by: Indigo5
a reply to: jjkenobi

Honest question for you...

What objective/non-bias question would you like to see both candidates given?

1. Why do you believe you are not fit for President?
2. Do you believe the media has been unbiased throughout this election?
3. Do you believe you have committed any crimes in the last 5yrs?
4. Would you rather fight ISIS in the middle east or leave and let the local countries handle it?
5. Will you re-investigate 9/11
6. Will you give Assange and other whistle blowers immunity?
7. Clinton - why do you believe the public dont trust you?
8. Clinton - why did you destroy evidence when you knew an FBI investigation was under way?
9. Clinton - do you believe your position in the Clinton Foundation influenced your State Department decisions?
10. Trump - How are you going to get Mexico to pay for the wall?
11. Trump - people are concerned about your abrupt comments, do you have the calmness and thinking to make tough decisions correctly, in dangerous situations?
12. Clinton - People are concerned your health is poor, is it ?
13. Trump/Clinton - Clinton will you release your bank speech transcripts if Trump releases his tax returns?
14. Clinton - a large portion of your donations are from Big Banks. Why would anyone believe you are going to tackle them ?
15. Trump - people are concerned your a conman. Why do you believe that is so?>

originally posted by: AngryCymraeg

originally posted by: sirlancelot
Im going to make a prediction that in the 2nd presidential debate the "un decided voters" asking questions throw soft balls at Hillary and flaming fast balls at Trumps head.

Sunday, October 9, 2016: Second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri, at Washington University (this debate will be in a "town meeting" format, in which several questions will be posed by undecided voters in the audience)

And your 'prediction' is based on what exactly?

Considering the establishment, most of the media, and anyone else that people listen to are anti Trump its pretty clear how it will go. ROmney was more mainstream and it happened to him didn't it?

Some of you folks probably don't think the media is unfairly biased against Trump either! Funny cause even the media says they are!

I have just heard that the first debate will only be 1hr and Trump and Clinton will not be on stage together..

They will answer questions back to back.

1st debate

I thought these things were usually 2hrs and why are they not on stage together?????

originally posted by: Indigo5
a reply to: jjkenobi

Honest question for you...

What objective/non-bias question would you like to see both candidates given?

Simple question I'd have would be...Since your main duty as president is to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.", can you demonstrate that you are knowledgeable of what the constitution says?

September 10, 2016

The first debate where both Trump and Clinton will be on stage together is on Monday, September 26, 2016. Moderator will be LESTER HOLT of NBC. It will run from 9:00pm to 10:30pm Eastern Time, and be broadcast on all major TV networks.

Source: www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com...

NOTE: The Mainstream Media is strongly urging Lester Holt, and upcoming debate moderators, to GO EASIER on Hillary than Matt Lauer did during this past week's Commander-in-Chief town hall, where Clinton and Trump appeared on the stage separately. Apparently, Lauer didn't treat Hillary as royalty, and the MSM doesn't want a repeat of his disrespectful behavior.

Story: townhall.com...

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