Biden, Trump skip handshake ahead of first presidential debate

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump did not shake hands at the beginning of the first presidential debate Thursday.

The lack of handshake continues a trend of the two rivals not shaking hands at the beginning of debates as the two did not shake hands at the beginning of the first debate in 2020, according to CNN.

The candidates entered from opposite ends of the CNN Studio in Atlanta where no studio audience was present. Having no audience was a part of the rules agreed to by the campaigns that included muted microphones and a coin flip that gave Trump the final closing statement and put Biden on the right of the screen.

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How to watch the first presidential debate

The "CNN Presidential Debate" is scheduled for Thursday at 9 p.m ET/6 p.m. PT. It will air on CNN and be hosted by network personalities Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

You can also watch the "CNN Presidential Debate" via simulcast on Paste BN's YouTube channel.