Presidential debate drinking games, an American tradition: From Bingo to shots
The first Presidential debate of the 2024 general election is set for Thursday night, with presumptive Democratic nominee President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee, former President Donald J. Trump, set to meet face to face for the first time since the White House changed hands in 2021.
The 90-minute debate between Biden and Trump, who was convicted of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, is a rematch that some may voters not be enthused about.
Here are three games that can help you get through the presidential debate Thursday night.
Spicy USA TODAY Presidential Debate Bingo
While the Presidential debate bingo game from USA TODAY should be entertaining, here's an option to add some spice to the game:
Each person receives one USA TODAY bingo card
A number of shot glasses equal to the number of players are filled with different liquids (hot sauce, pickle juice, alcohol if of age and appropriate, etc.) and numbered
The first person to reach bingo on the card drinks the first shot glass
Subsequent bingo callers take the shot that corresponds to the order they call bingo
The game ends when all players have called bingo
Can't see or interact with our debate bingo cards above? Open and play along in a new tab: Debate bingo card one, card two, card three, or card four.
Debate foul, party foul
The rules set forth by CNN for Thursday night are unique in the realm of recent presidential debates as mics will be cut, no studio audience will be present and moderators are able to enforce time limits.
Yet it is highly unlikely that the debate will go off without a hitch and at least one of the candidates will break one of the rules. That's where this game comes in.
For "Debate Foul, Party Foul" each player should have a sipping drink, a shot drink and a designated drink that is particularly foul (hot sauce or Malort, for example).
Anytime a participant attempts to speak past their alloted time take a sip
Anytime a participant attempts to shout over a muted microphone take a shot
If either participant leaves their podium finish the drink in front of you
If either participant walks off stage take a shot of the designated drink
Line by line, sip by sip
Knowledge of political cliches is a double-edged sword in this game, depending on how fast the player wants to drink.
Each player chooses a political cliché or expected line, such as: "my fellow Americans" or "We the People".
Players choose a drink and determine an amount of that drink that constitutes a sip.
Each time the political cliché or expected line spoken, the player drinks.
The first person to finish the drink wins.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Presidential debate drinking games, from Bingo to Party Foul
