NBC News on Tuesday announced the moderators of the first 2020 Democratic debate, scheduled for June 26 and 27 in Miami, Florida.
.@savannahguthrie, @lesterholtnbc, @chucktodd, @jdbalart and @maddow will be moderators for the first Democratic presidential primary debate hosted on @NBCNews, @MSNBC and @Telemundo June 26-27. pic.twitter.com/o1u2Oe8kOO
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) June 11, 2019
Moderators include:
• Lester Holt of “NBC Nightly News” and “Dateline NBC”
• Savannah Guthrie of “Today”
• Chuck Todd of “Meet the Press”
• Rachel Maddow of MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show”
• José Diaz-Balart of "Noticias Telemundo" and "NBC Nightly News Saturday"
Holt will be the only moderator present from start to finish. Guthrie and Diaz-Balart will be alongside Holt for the first hour and then be replaced by Todd and Maddow,
According to NBC, if there are more than 20 candidates eligible for the debate stage, the Democratic National Committee "will use a series of tiebreakers" to determine who is allowed to participate. 10 candidates will be on the event stage each night.
In order to qualify for the debate, candidates have to have 1 percent support in three polls or have 65,000 unique donors. A minimum of those donors have to be in at least 20 states.
On Friday, NBC will hold a lottery to determine candidate's stage placement, The Hill reported.
People were rather surprised when they learned Maddow was chosen as a moderator.
NBC announced its moderators for the first democrat debate: Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow and José Diaz-Balart. Hey, where's @MSNBC's @TheRevAl, the race card hustling, anti-semitic, tax dead beat, Crown Heights incendiary, Tawana Brawley fraudster?!?
— Larry Elder (@larryelder) June 11, 2019
Maddow? How is this any different than Hannity hosting a GOP debate? https://t.co/3sq7Ik9bCi
— Tiana Lowe (@TianaTheFirst) June 11, 2019
Rachel Maddow is hosting a Democrat debate.. lol. https://t.co/nqIcwJj7Te
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 11, 2019
This would be like Sean Hannity hosting a GOP debate but you guys go off. Can't wait to see the media hall monitors suddenly turn their backs on this one.
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 11, 2019
"I have a question for all of you. Please turn to Senator Warren and tell her why she's so great. Each give a different reason please."
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 11, 2019
“Fascinating that Democrats would have one of the leading conspiracy theorists of the day moderating their first debate. It really does show you where the party is at right now,” Ned Ryun told the Daily Caller, in reference in Maddow.