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Here Is Where the Democratic Candidates Will Stand at the Debates Here Is Where the Democratic Candidates Will Stand at the Debates
(32 minutes later)
First came the names of the 20 candidates who made the cut.First came the names of the 20 candidates who made the cut.
Then came a drawing to determine which 10 candidates would square off on which of two nights.Then came a drawing to determine which 10 candidates would square off on which of two nights.
And on Tuesday, NBC News, the media organization hosting the first Democratic debates later this month, announced exactly where on stage each candidate will be standing.And on Tuesday, NBC News, the media organization hosting the first Democratic debates later this month, announced exactly where on stage each candidate will be standing.
Still with us?Still with us?
On the first night, June 26, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas will stand next to each other in the center of the stage. The second night, June 27, will see former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont front and center.On the first night, June 26, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas will stand next to each other in the center of the stage. The second night, June 27, will see former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont front and center.
The full lineup for night one, from left to right, will be: Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York; Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio; Julián Castro, the former housing secretary; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Ms. Warren; Mr. O’Rourke; Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii; Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington; and former Representative John Delaney of Maryland.The full lineup for night one, from left to right, will be: Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York; Representative Tim Ryan of Ohio; Julián Castro, the former housing secretary; Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey; Ms. Warren; Mr. O’Rourke; Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii; Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington; and former Representative John Delaney of Maryland.
For night two, the lineup is as follows, from left to right: Marianne Williamson, a self-help author; former Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado; Andrew Yang, an entrepreneur; Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; Mr. Biden; Mr. Sanders; Senator Kamala Harris of California; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado; and Representative Eric Swalwell of California.For night two, the lineup is as follows, from left to right: Marianne Williamson, a self-help author; former Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado; Andrew Yang, an entrepreneur; Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind.; Mr. Biden; Mr. Sanders; Senator Kamala Harris of California; Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York; Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado; and Representative Eric Swalwell of California.
The candidates’ positions correspond to their polling averages, with the highest-polling candidates debating each night standing closest to the center of the stage. There were few surprises in the lineups: NBC placed the best-known and highest-polling candidates center stage on both nights.
The debates are slated to last two hours each, from 9 to 11 p.m. Eastern. On the first night, Ms. Warren will have the largest target on her back, as the only candidate on stage who is polling in double digits. She will be surrounded by candidates in search of a breakout moment.
One of them, Mr. O’Rourke, is looking to stop his slide in the polls, which began shortly after his March campaign announcement. And Mr. Booker, who will stand on the other side of Ms. Warren, has yet to burst out of the bottom of the pack.
All of the candidates on center stage on Wednesday are betting big on Iowa — putting them in competition with one another geographically, if not ideologically. Mr. Booker’s Iowa operation rivals Ms. Warren’s as the most robust of the race so far. Mr. O’Rourke’s retail-style campaign is a traditional fit for the state. And Ms. Klobuchar, who will be standing on the other side of Mr. O’Rourke, is the senator from next door.
The six candidates closest to the center of the stage on that first night will also feature some of the ascendant diversity of the Democratic Party: three women, including the first Hindu member of Congress, as well as a Latino and an African-American candidate.
And the wide-angle camera shots will offer an additional interesting visual: the four spots at the outermost edges of the stage will all be occupied by white male candidates (Mr. de Blasio, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Inslee and Mr. Delaney).
The prime-time matchup on Thursday will feature Mr. Biden, 76, and Mr. Sanders, 77 — the two oldest and (mostly) highest polling politicians in the race — standing side by side. Of all the candidates, Mr. Sanders has been most eager to strike contrasts with Mr. Biden on policy matters since the former vice president entered the race in late April.
Now, he will get a chance to do so at close range, and there are a suite of issues on which Mr. Sanders has signaled he plans to draw distinctions with Mr. Biden, from the Iraq War to trade deals to their differing approaches to health care.
Those elder statesmen, who have each held elective office for decades, will be flanked by a pair of candidates making the case for a new generation of leadership: Ms. Harris, 54, and Mr. Buttigieg, 37, who has made the fact that he will be the same age as President Trump in 2054 a repeated joke on the campaign trial.
Those four are expected to soak up much of the attention and camera time.
For Mr. Sanders, Ms. Warren’s absence on the second night will allow him to pitch his more progressive vision relatively unimpeded. None of the other three leading candidates are likely to jostle with him for the most committed ideological voters on the left.