As the time ticks down, we’re only two days away from the first official Republican debate of the 2016 cycle. The event, which happens at 9pm ET on August 6, will feature the top ten candidates in an average of five national polls and we’re now getting more details about the question format as well as podium assignments.
Report from Politico:
Which candidates are in and which are out?
Looks like Rick Perry is OUT for the big stage; Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are IN. Fox will announce after 5 p.m. today which national polls will determine the lineup. Fox gave hints yesterday in its own poll, which will be one of the five. Politico’s Steve Shepard: “Barring a major bump in [final] surveys, Perry will fall short of the top 10.”
How does it start and what is the questioning format?
Playbook has learned that the 10 candidates will be standing on the stage as Fox News coverage of the two-hour prime-time debate begins at 9 p.m. from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Viewers will see the photo spray of the candidates as Fox takes the air and the moderators — Bret Baier, Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace — begin talking. The format: 1-min. answers, 30-sec. rebuttals, 1-min. closing statements.
How do podiums get assigned and how can I submit questions?
The podiums will be assigned based on final poll rankings, with the center two going to #1 (Trump) and #2. The next two, outward, go to #3 and #4, and so on. The first question will go to #1, and the next couple will follow the polling order. Facebook is partnering with Fox for the debate. A question from Facebook will be asked every 15 minutes, and Facebook data will be used to illustrate how the issues are resonating.
Fox News is set to release the official lineup at 5pm ET today. When that happens, we’ll put out an update with the official rosters for the primtetime debate and the early debate.
