NBC pulls names out of boxes to set lineups for two debate nights

NEW YORK — NBC set the lineup for its two-night debate of 2020 presidential contenders later this month, with a top-heavy second session that will pit former Vice President Joe Biden onstage against 2016 Democratic runner-up, Bernie Sanders, the youthful Mayor Pete Buttigieg and California Sen. Kamala Harris.

The first night, June 26 in Miami, is headlined by Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, along with former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

Representatives of 20 campaigns gathered at NBC headquarters Friday to watch slips of paper with candidates’ names picked out of two boxes. There were separate boxes with the names of candidates polling at above or below 2% — an attempt to make sure most of the lesser-known candidates were not grouped together and given the stigma of a minor-league debate.

Still, when four of the six top-polling candidates landed on June 27, including the clear front-runner, Mr. Biden, that night was quickly seen as the one with the biggest stakes.

Being paired with Mr. Biden, 76, and Mr. Sanders, 77, gives Mr. Buttigieg an opportunity to emphasize the “next generation” theme that the South Bend, Ind.,

mayor has been touting. At 37, Mr. Buttigieg is the youngest of the leading contenders.

The six female contenders will be evenly divided between the two nights. The two African American candidates, Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris, will also be on separate nights. Ideologically, two favorites of the party’s liberal wing, Mr. Sanders and Ms. Warren, won’t be going head to head, either.

Among the rest of the field, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee could find benefits in drawing the first night with fewer front-runners to emphasize his climate changeoriented effort. Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, who has been among the most aggressive critics of Mr. Sanders’ democratic socialism, will have a chance to make those points to him face to face.

NBC will face its own test, to see if it makes compelling programming out of crowded, fractious stages on the opening nights of debate season. The debate will be shown both nights in prime time, 9 to 11 p.m., on NBC as well as on MSNBC and Telemundo, and it will be streamed on various platforms. NBC personalities Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow and Jose Diaz-Balart will be featured.