Donald Trump may think ABC’s George Stephanopoulos is a “little wise guy,” but NBC, the DNC and Lady Luck have denied Senator Elizabeth Warren a chance to take on the big boys in the first debates among Democrats who want the ex-Celebrity Apprentice host’s job.
After a random draw at 30 Rock today with party and candidate officials in attendence, the June 26 and June 27 tussles will see the Massachusetts senator and third highest ranking Dem in the 2020 race relegated to sharing the stage with the minuscule polling likes of Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and former cabinet secretary Julian Castro.
The debates are set to air live from Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Centeron NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and in translation on Telemundo
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Over six months before the first actual primary season voting starts with the February 3 Iowa caucus, ex-VP Joe Biden leads the field of over 20 candidates with Vermont Senator and 2016 election alum Bernie Sanders in second and Trump irritant Warren close behind.
The selection by the Comcast-owned news division of who would appear on what night of the double-header Dems’ debate was intended to mix high and low polling candidates. However, it has ended up with four of the top five polling contenders (Biden, Sanders, Sen Kamala Harris, Mayor Pete Buttingieg) on the now marquee Night 2 and Warren at the kid’s table, so to speak.
To even make it to the debates, a candidate needed to have at least 1% support in three qualifying polls or provide evidence of at least $65,000 individual donations from a minimum of 200 different donors in at least 20 states. Further culling the herd, if more than 20 candidates had reached one of those two qualifications, the top 20 would have been be selected by using a separate method that rewards contenders for meeting both thresholds, followed by highest polling averages and then the most unique donors.
As always when it comes to the Democrats, Hollywood has some serious skin in this game. While almost everyone has been out West to hang with deep pocket Tinseltown donors like Jeffrey Katzenberg and JJ Abrams and Katie McGrath, Biden, Harris and Buttingieg have proved the most successful at the Hollywood ATM. In fact, the South Bend, Indiana Mayor will be in town for a slew of fundraisers on June 18 and 19th, with stops at Ryan Murphy’s pad and a lunch co-hosted by Ted Sarnando’s spouse and former U.S. Ambassador Nicole Avant.
With that likely hefty cash in Buttingieg’s coffers, here’s who will be where at the debates:
Night 1: Wednesday, June 26
Sen. Cory Booker
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Rep. Beto O’Rourke
Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Rep. John Delaney
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard
Sec. Julian Castro
Rep. Tim Ryan
Mayor Bill de Blasio
Gov. Jay Inslee
Night 2: Thursday, June 27
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Sen. Kamala Harris
Vice President Joe Biden
Mayor Pete Buttigieg
Sen. Michael Bennet
Ms. Marianne Williamson
Rep. Eric Swalwell
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Mr. Andrew Yang
Gov. John Hickenlooper
NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, Lester Holt, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow and José Diaz-Balart will moderate both debates
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