Prior to the first of three presidential debates, telephone lines were open for comments on the presidential campaign. Interviews with journalists and debate officials focused on the state of the presidential campaign, the role of the presidential debates in the campaign, and preparations for the debate by Hofstra University and the Commission on Presidential Debates. In addition to the interviews, video footage of campaign sppeches and other related programming were shown.

In the half hour before the beginning of the debate officials welcomed the audience and explained the debate rules.