Talk about Must See TV. On June 27, CNN is airing the first debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, and the audience turn-out is anticipated to be high. A new poll conducted by Puck News in partnership with Echelon Insights reveals that 63% of respondents plan to watch the debate, which kicks the 2024 election cycle into high gear.
Puck and Echelon’s poll was conducted between June 10 and 12 and surveyed 1,013 likely voters.
Of those polled, 46% said that they expected Trump to outperform Biden in the debate, with the current president scoring 37% with 17% undecided.
Respondents were also asked which sources of information they preferred for their news diets, and local news finished first with a whopping 50% of those polled selecting their local stations. Of the major national outlets, Fox News ranked first at 37%, followed by ABC News at 36% and CNN at 35%, with NBC News, CBS News, MSNBC, Newsmax and OAN rounding out the list in descending order.
While Biden and Trump are currently the only candidates participating in CNN’s debate, third party candidates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein are also hoping to qualify. The network issued its official rules over the weekend, which indicated that all participants have to appear on a sufficient number of state ballots to reach 270 Electoral College votes and also receive at least 15% in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters conducted by outlets that meet CNN’s standards.
As of now, Kennedy comes the closest to qualifying for the debate. Asked whether they would like to see him participate, 50% of Puck/Echelon poll respondents answered in the affirmative. That number rose to 56% when those polled were asked whether they think Kennedy should be permitted to participate in the June 27th debate.
CNN’s debate is the first of two debates taking place during the summer, with the second set to air Sept. 10. CBS News hopes to host a Vice Presidential debate, but only Vice President Kamala Harris has accepted their invitation.
For now, these are the only live debates planned for the 2024 election cycle. Typically, the non-partisan Commission on Presidential Debates hosts three debates in the fall, but Biden and Trump opted out of that particular tradition by agreeing to CNN’s debate offer.
The results of Puck/Echelon’s poll should provide CNN with some cautious optimism regarding viewer interest in the debate. The public at large has generally seemed apathetic about the upcoming election, particularly compared to Biden and Trump’s first match-up in 2020. CNN would benefit from a ratings win after a lackluster ratings performance in May
So far, ABC News, CBS News and PBS have agreed to simulcast CNN’s presidential debate, which will include a pair of ad breaks for the first time in recent debate history. NBC has scheduled the U.S. Track and Field Olympic trials, and Fox will host the 2024 Cop América Soccer match between Uruguay and Bolivia.