News

Where To Tune In To The GOP Debate

by Celia Darrough

It might seem like an obvious answer, but because the hosting network changes every time, it's actually a good question: What channel is the second GOP presidential debate on? CNN will air both the 6 p.m. mini debate and the 8 p.m. prime-time debate on Wednesday, as it hosts the second forum between the top-ranking Republicans. Moderators Jake Tapper, Dana Bush, and Hugh Hewitt will run the show, as they ask (hopefully) hard-hitting questions of the 11 candidates on stage.

CNN made news of its own earlier this month when it broadened the debate criteria to allow any candidate who polled in the top 10 between Aug. 7 and Sept. 10 to participate in the prime-time slot. This caused a big change-up on the debate floor, as it allowed Carly Fiorina to join the main event along with the same 10 candidates who participated in the first prime-time debate in August.

Fox News hosted the first debate, and moderator Megyn Kelly left a trail of Donald Trump in her wake. It started a mini-feud between the candidate and the network, with both trading jabs at one another. Could CNN and its moderators incite a similar frustration? It's sure possible. Tapper said:

What the team and I have been doing is trying to craft questions that, in most cases, pit candidates against the other — specific candidates on the stage — on issues where they disagree, whether it's policy, or politics, or leadership. Let's actually have them discuss and debate.
AFP/AFP/Getty Images

If you don't have CNN, though, don't worry. You still have a chance to watch 11 Republicans get angry and scream at each other. The network will air the debate on television, of course, but they're taking it one step further to make it easier for those of us who no longer bother to pay for cable. CNN will also livestream the debate on its website and on all its mobile platforms with the CNN app — without viewers having to log in with any specific account.

So who's in the second Republican debate? If you tune in, you'll see Jeb Bush, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, and Scott Walker duke it out at the Reagan Presidential Library in California. And if it's anything like Fox News' first debate, we're in for a wild ride.

Image: Chris Brown/Flickr (1)