The Independent View: Where Democratic Candidates Will Stand at Debates

NBC News, the Organization hosting the first Democratic Debates later this month, announced exactly where on Stage each Candidate will be Standing.

Night One: June 26th, Left to Right

Bill de Blasio

Tim Ryan

Julián Castro

Cory Booker

Elizabeth Warren

Beto O'Rourke

Amy Klobuchar

Tulsi Gabbard

Jay Inslee

John Delaney

Night Two: June 27th, Left to Right

Marianne Williamson

John Hickenlooper

Andrew Yang

Pete Buttigieg

Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Bernie Sanders

Kamala Harris

Kirsten Gillibrand

Michael Bennet

Eric Swalwell

NBC placed the Highest-Polling Candidates Center Stage on Both Nights. On the First Night, Ms. Warren will have the largest Target on her back, as the only Candidate on stage who is Polling in Double Digits. She will be surrounded by Candidates in search of a breakout moment.

The Six candidates closest to the center of the stage on that First night will also feature some of the ascendant Diversity of the Democratic Party: Three Women, including the first Hindu Member of Congress, as well as a Latino and an African-American Candidate. And the wide-angle camera shots will offer an additional interesting Visual, the Four Spots at the outermost edges of the Stage will all be occupied by White Male Candidates.

The Prime-Time Matchup on Thursday will feature Mr. Biden, 76, and Mr. Sanders, 77, the Two Oldest and Highest-Polling Politicians in the Race, Standing side by side. Of all the Candidates, Mr. Sanders has been most eager to Strike Contrasts with Mr. Biden on Policy Matters since the former Vice President entered the Race in late April.

These Elder Statesmen, who have each held Elective Office for Decades, will be Flanked by a pair of Candidates making the case for a New Generation of Leadership: Ms. Harris, 54, and Mr. Buttigieg, 37, who has made the fact that he will be the same Age as President Trump in 2054 a repeated Joke on the Campaign trial.

For each Night, Lester Holt of "NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt" will Anchor the First Hour, where he'll be joined by Savannah Guthrie of the "Today" Show and Jose Diaz-Balart of Telemundo. The Second Hour will feature MSNBC Opinion Host Rachel Maddow and "Meet the Press" Moderator Chuck Todd.