The Morning: The x-factor in the debate

We know the players. (Donald Trump, Joe Biden and the two CNN moderators — Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.)

We know the stakes. (Very high)

But there’s one thing we don’t really know: How is the rule that allows a candidate’s mic to be muted when they are not supposed to be talking going to actually work (or not)?

For me, the “mute button” (and whoever is tasked with operating it) is the real x-factor in tonight’s debate.

How much is it used? How do the candidates — especially Trump — react to the muting? How does the non-muted candidate, who presumably can hear what the muted candidate is saying, handle it? How does it all look to the audience at home?

I broke it all down in today’s edition of The Morning.

A reminder: I am doing two major things around the debate tonight:

1. A pre-debate livestream on my YouTube channel that is free for everyone! Starts at 8 pm eastern.

2. A live chat DURING the debate for PAID subscribers to this newsletter. I will be using the Substack chat feature to do this; paid subscribers will get a link for the chat around 8:45 pm.