The first Democratic debate of the 2020 presidential campaign is rapidly approaching — and the record-breaking number of candidates on the debate stage could make for some very interesting discussion. If you want to follow the Democratic debates and observe the candidates engage over two evenings of debating, there are many ways that you can see all of the action unfold.
Due to the large number of candidates in the Democratic primary, participants have been separated into two groups for the debate. One group of 10 candidates will take the stage on Wednesday and the other 10 will debate on Thursday. FiveThirtyEight indicated that the groups were created based on a complex drawing process that involved ensuring that not all the candidates who hold the top spots in the polls are onstage on the same night.
The Democratic debate will last from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET each evening and will air live from Miami, Florida. NBC-affiliated journalists Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow, and José Diaz-Balart will all serve as moderators during the two-day event.
Many Americans are expected to watch as the 2020 Democratic field comes together for the first time. If you are planning to follow the debate, there are many ways for you to watch the candidates define their policies and make their cases for the presidency.
Turn On Your TV And Tune In
As NBC noted, it will air both nights of the debate live on NBC and MSNBC. Telemundo will air the debate in Spanish each evening.
Head Online For A Livestream
Livestreams will be available for free on NBCNews.com, MSNBC.com, the NBC News Mobile App, and Telemundo's digital services, NBC reported. The network also noted that the debates will be available live on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.
Follow Your Favorite Live Blog
Many online news outlets, including fully digital publications as well as newspapers, often cover notable political events via a live blog — a constantly-evolving article that provides regular updates on the event that also sometimes includes author commentary.
NBC noted that NBCNews.com will offer "real time coverage [and] will include a live blog, fact checks and more." The New York Times also reported that it will be hosting a live chat during the debate, which you can get an invite to by signing up for its politics newsletter.
Be sure to check out these options or seek out your favorite online news source on the debate nights to see if they are publishing live blogs.
Log On To Twitter
Twitter can be a fountain of information when it comes to learning about how a live event is unfolding from a variety of perspectives. Simply type a related search term like "Democratic debate" or "Democratic primary" into Twitter's search bar during the debate nights to see a wide array of tweets about each evening's event. Be sure to organize the tweets by "most recent" if you want to get the most up-to-date information as it arrives.
Seek Out Follow-Up Analysis
Most major news networks will analyze the debates with political and policy experts immediately following the event. For example, NBC reported that it plans to host an hour-long post-debate show on NBC News NOW, its online streaming network, each night after debating concludes. Other television news networks and digital platforms will likely also provide post-debate coverage and analysis, so head to your go-to news sources each evening for more information.
Watch Your Favorite Late-Night Show
Multiple late-night shows will air live episodes following the debates on both June 26 and 27. These episodes will be chock-full of political analysis and comedy and will feature a variety of special guests, as Vulture described. The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, and Late Night With Seth Meyers are all scheduled to air these live follow-up episodes. You can see the full details of each show's lineup at Vulture.
Wait For Day-After Coverage
If you're not able to follow the debates live — or you'd rather give pundits time to analyze them more extensively before you read debate-related news — you may want to wait until the day after each debate to consume related media coverage. Nearly every major American news outlet will likely be covering the debates to some degree, so you'll have a wide array of information from which to choose.
Consider reading your local newspaper, checking out cable news channels (like CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC), seeking out political news sources like Politico and FiveThirtyEight, and perusing national newspapers like the Washington Post and the New York Times to access comprehensive, post-debate coverage. These are, of course, just some of the many media options from which you can choose.
Overall, if you're planning to follow the first 2020 Democratic presidential debate, there are certainly many ways for you to get a feel for the candidates and a sense of their platforms. The sheer number of candidates in the race likely means that this debate will be talked about for many years to come, so be sure to check it out if you're so inclined.
