NBC Unveils Debate Lineups, And There’s a Group of Death: Biden. Bernie. Buttigieg. Harris.

NBC has announced the debate lineup they’re going to use for the first primary face-offs they’re setting up for the 2020 field of Democratic nominees.

The 20 participating candidates were randomly split into two groups of 10, and NBC’s press release states that officials endeavored to evenly divide the top-tier candidates between the two debate nights.

“It was a manual, in-person draw at NBC News Headquarters at 30 Rock. One representative of each of the qualifying campaigns was invited to attend the draw along with DNC officials. Campaign representatives saw their respective candidate’s paper slip with their name on it before it was folded and placed inside the box. A representative from NBC News Standards & Practices conducted the draw.”

The Orange Group – which will go first on June 26 at at 9 p.m. ET – consists of Cory Booker, Elizabeth Warren, Beto O’Rourke, Amy Klobuchar, John Delaney, Tulsi Gabbard, Julián Castro, Bill de Blasio, Jay Inslee, and Tim Ryan.

The Purple Group will take the stage on June 27, and their lineup is Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Michael Bennet, Marianne Williamson, Eric Swalwell, Kirsten Gillibrand, Andrew Yang, and John Hickenlooper.

Steve Bullock, Seth Moulton, and Wayne Messam were not invited to the debates since they failed to meet the Democratic National Committee’s fundraising and polling requirements. The events will be moderated by Lester Holt, Savannah Guthrie, Chuck Todd, Rachel Maddow, and José Díaz-Balart.

The breakdown undoubtedly makes the purple lineup the Group of Death — a term commonly used in sporting events when a superabundance of heavyweights end up in the same grouping purely due to the luck of the draw, ensuring an absolute bloodbath.

This story is developing and we shall update accordingly.

Watch above, via MSNBC.

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