Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has not met the requirements to participate in the first presidential debate, as reported by CNN on Thursday. To qualify for the debate, candidates must have at least 15% support in four national polls and be on the ballot in enough states to potentially win the necessary 270 electoral college votes.
Kennedy, who is the top-performing candidate outside of the two major parties, fell short of meeting these criteria by the deadline. He was able to reach the 15% support threshold in only three national polls and did not qualify for the ballot in enough states to reach the 270 electoral college votes requirement.
Despite his exclusion, Kennedy has criticized CNN’s debate standards, alleging that they were unfairly enforced against him to maintain a one-on-one debate format between the major party candidates. The debate, scheduled for June 27 in Atlanta and hosted by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, will mark the first in-person debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump since the 2020 election cycle.
During the debate, there will be two commercial breaks, and candidates will not be permitted to consult with their campaign members. The podiums and positions of the candidates will be determined by a coin flip, and their microphones will be muted when they are not speaking. Candidates will only be provided with a pen, notepad, and a bottle of water, and they are not allowed to bring any props or prepared notes.
These strict rules and criteria set by CNN have led to Kennedy’s exclusion from the debate, sparking controversy and criticism from the independent candidate. Despite his efforts, Kennedy will not be able to participate in the upcoming debate, missing an opportunity to present his platform and ideas to a wider audience.
It remains to be seen how this exclusion will impact Kennedy’s campaign and his supporters’ perception of the fairness of the debate qualification process. As the election cycle progresses, the focus will shift to the remaining candidates and how they will navigate the debates and challenges ahead.