When five Republican presidential candidates take the stage at the debate in Miami on Wednesday night, host network NBC hopes to limit the number of moments in which the candidates talk over each other.
This was one of the hallmarks of the last Republican debate, which was characterized by incomprehensible verbal arguments. At one point, Vivek Ramaswamy shot back at Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC): “Thank you for speaking while I interrupted you — for interrupting while I was speaking.”
There will be two fewer contestants on stage this time around, which could ease some of the pressure on contestants to make their mark within the two-hour window. In addition to Ramaswamy and Scott, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also qualified.
Salem Radio hosts Lester Holt, Kristen Welker and Hugh Hewitt will give participants an additional 90 seconds to answer questions and 60 seconds to answer follow-up questions. The Network also informs candidates that invoking a candidate’s name or policy does not entitle the candidate to respond, although one of the moderators may choose to require such a response. And each candidate gets the chance to answer the first question. The candidates have 60 seconds to make their final statement.
An NBC News executive said he hopes it will help reduce stage anxiety, but still leaves open the possibility that the candidates will talk to each other. In other words, the idea is that candidates feel less pressure to interrupt. “It really depends on the candidates,” the director said.
The audience of 1,500 people, including RNC and network guests, will be instructed to refrain from outbursts during the event, as they have done at the last two debates televised by Fox News and Fox Business Network.
The debate will air from 8 to 10 PM ET on NBC and NBC News Now. The event’s RNC partners are Salem Radio Network and Rumble and the Republican Jewish Coalition.
The topics of the debate itself are expected to include the Israel-Hamas war and national security, which have a different priority than previous events, as well as recent polls, as Donald Trump continues to have a significant lead. One question is how candidates will handle his absence as he plans a rally in nearby Hialeah. Experts will watch whether Haley or DeSantis, the two main alternatives, intensify their attacks on Trump or whether they will focus on each other.
There will be four segments with three commercial breaks during the debate.
Although other media partners are on the agenda and Hewitt worked with Welker and Holt on questions, NBC News has full editorial control over the debate, the news director noted.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
