High Stakes: Here's How the Polling Looks on the Eve of the First Debate

Tomorrow evening, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will meet in the first of two 2024 debates.  This forum is exceptionally early -- weeks before either major party's nominating convention -- and the stakes are high.  I offered some thoughts on the matter yesterday.  The clash will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, and is hosted by CNN.  It will last 90 minutes, include commercial breaks, and feature moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, each of whom have been targeted with charges of bias from Trump supporters in the days leading up to the event.  NPR described some of the unusual rules that have been agreed to by both campaigns: "Microphones will be muted unless a candidate is directed to speak. Candidates are not allowed to bring prewritten notes or props. They will receive a pen and paper, as well as a bottle of water. A coin toss determined podium positions and the order of closing statements. According to CNN, Biden’s campaign won the coin toss and chose the podium to the viewers' right. As a result, the Trump team chose to deliver the final closing statement of the evening."