Fox Business Network Won’t Give GOP Candidates Opening Statements at Next Debate

Fox Business Network is hosting the next Republican presidential debate, and today the network sent out information to the candidates about the format.

The New York Times obtained the memo, and right off the bat FBN is doing away with opening statements. Now, that being said, each candidate will get to make closing statements and will have a little bit more time to answer questions and offer rebuttals.

Specifically, candidates will get 90-second answers and 60-second rebuttals if any other candidates calls them out by name. The closing statements will be 30 seconds each.

FBN will have an undercard debate as well––moderated by Trish Regan, Sandra Smith, and Wall Street Journal Washington Bureau Chief Gerald Seib––before the big 9 pm primetime debate on November 10th, moderated by Maria Bartiromo, Neil Cavuto, and WSJ Editor-in-Chief Gerard Baker.

Now, there may be some potential behind-the-scenes drama leading up to this debate thanks to this week’s lackluster CNBC debate. Republican campaigns are so upset about how it went that they’re meeting on Sunday to discuss wresting control of the debates from the RNC.

[image via Fox Business Network]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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