Elizabeth Vargas has had a diverse and fascinating 40-year career in broadcast journalism traveling the world in covering wars, interviewing world leaders, and anchoring the nightly news on ABC.

Few career bucket list items remain.

But there is one thing she hasn’t done: Moderate a presidential primary.

“I didn’t have it officially on my list but ever since I went down with my bosses, the president and vice president of NewsNation to meet with the (Republican National Committee), it’s been on my bucket list,” Vargas said. “I’m thrilled to check it. It’s really exciting for me. Moderating a debate is very different from conducting a live interview. I’m comfortable in doing live interviews. This is very different. I am working super hard to prepare as humanly as possible.”

Vargas will jump into the presidential political fray on Wednesday at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa when she is joined on the debate table inside the Frank Moody Music Hall with media personality Megyn Kelly and Eliana Johnson, editor-in-chief of the conservative Washington Free Beacon. The debate will be broadcast live from 7-9 p.m. on NewsNation.

It’s the first time NewsNation, an upstart cable TV news network that began in 2021, is hosting a presidential debate.

“We know Alabama is a really red state,” Vargas said. “A lot of Republican viewers and voters and we are excited to have this debate there. This debate is for Republican voters. We know lots of Americans will be watching of all political stripes, but it’s a Republican debate meant to serve Republican (primary voters).”

A specific theme for the debate has not been announced. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have reached the polling and fundraising criteria to participate. The RNC has not confirmed whether former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has qualified. Former President Donald Trump, who holds a significant lead over his Republican rivals in the polls, intends to skip the debate.

Vargas was recently interviewed by AL.com ahead of the debate, the first presidential debate ever hosted in Alabama. The following Q&A is edited for clarity.

Q: Hugh Hewitt, the conservative media personality, wrote in the Washington Post that the most recent debate in Miami offered the perfect layout for a debate. One of the reasons why, Hewitt said, was that moderators allowed the candidates to talk, gave them 90 seconds to respond, and killed the “Right to replay.” He also said debates “shouldn’t be showcases for moderators.” Your thoughts on all of that?

A: I didn’t read that. That’s interesting for him to say since he was a moderator (during the Miami debate). I did watch his moderated third debate. I think he’s absolutely right. It’s not about the moderators. It’s about the candidates. I do think there were things that worked in the 3rd debate and 2nd, and we’ve watched them carefully. We like that idea, but let’s toss out this. My overall (takeaway) from the three debates is we need more specificity. We need to get them all off their slogans and canned talking points and have them explain specifically (what they plan to do). It would be nice to have a conversation than a debate and more than a resuscitation of talking points. That’s what we’re aiming to get them to do during the debate (in Tuscaloosa).

Q: One of the criticisms the debate formats have gotten is about the crowds and the reactions that entices candidates to put on a show more than providing policy details. Will this format at the University of Alabama be less disruptive than other debates?

(Note: The crowd inside the Frank Moody Music Hall will be considerably smaller than in recent previous debates. The RNC confirmed that all tickets are distributed to the campaigns and debate partners, meaning there are not tickets available to the public).

A: I am so excited to be doing Alabama’s first debate. It is my first debate. I have a lot in common with the state of Alabama. I think the audience will be great. I did a town hall with Robert Kennedy Jr. in front of a live crowd, sitting a few feet away. I understand what it’s like to work with a crowd. Th crowd is there to cheer and boo their candidate. I am sure Alabamians are polite. I think doing it with a crowd makes it exciting. There are people to react to and play off of. Sure, the candidates fuel a lot of energy on stage. There was a hefty and very loud boo for Ramaswamy in the 3rd debate after criticizing (Nikki Haley’s) mothering skills. It raises the stakes. It’s immediate reaction. Candidates will feed off that and play off that. What’s most important is we have our audience there at the University and they will be sitting there but there is a wider audience across the country and that is who we are trying to serve who are hearing from them the candidates themselves.

Q: Vivek Ramaswamy has been very critical about the moderators in past debates, and the TV networks in which they have been on. He recommended debates be moderated by Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson. Instead, three women will be moderating a debate on a network that does not offer nightly right-wing punditry. Are you prepared for what seems like an inevitable clash with this candidate?

A: You know, sure, he can do and say what he wants to say in his allotted time to answer the questions. The voters and viewers will see and judge accordingly. This debate is for Republican voters. This will help people decide who they want on the ticket facing the Democratic nominee whether that is Joe Biden or anyone else in the fall (of 2024) in what will be one of the most important presidential elections in U.S. history. Voters are smart. They will see a candidate dodge a question and a decision to hurl insults might work with some and might not work with some others. I’ve had Ramaswamy on my show. I had his wife on my show, who by the way is a lovely woman. He was fine with me. But I’ve seen him do interviews in the past couple of days in which he was aggressive. These candidates all know we are closing in. We are in crunch time. This debate happens in six weeks before the Iowa Caucuses. If they have any shot of overtaking Donald Trump in the front runner of the candidates in the nomination process, then they have to make their move. If that is what Ramaswamy thinks will make that, we’ll see.

Q: What does it mean to have Megyn Kelly return to the presidential debate forum in which so many people are reminded of her encounter with Donald Trump back in 2015?

A: Megyn is a veteran of these debates. She is smart. Very smart. It’s been a real honor and joy to work alongside her in the preparation process. Yes, she has her own history with Donald Trump. As we speak, Mr. Trump has not joined the debate as of yet. We are hoping he does so. It would be a reunion of sorts between the two of them. Megyn and I have the same goal in mind – we want a smart debate. We want our viewers and voters to come away better educated.

(Note: Trump, through media reports, is expected to be at a political fundraiser Wednesday in Hallandale Beach, Fla.).

Q: It doesn’t appear Trump will be there. Does that hurt the impact and legacy of what is the first presidential debate hosted in the state of Alabama?

A: Of course. Listen, maybe Alabamans can convince him to join the stage. I think that every person running to be President of the United States and the most important job on planet earth should be on that stage to explain why they are the person to do this. I think that is something he’s done in the past and should not be afraid of doing now. We hope he will be there. I think it will do a lot to educate Republican voters on who they should support. While it’s important to remember he is way ahead of candidates in polling, we are still less than a year out from the election. An enormous amount can happen in a year. I think anyone who says, ‘Donald Trump will just win this thing’ and ‘What are these people talking about?’ it is a dangerous position to take. We don’t know what will happen between now and next November. It’s important that everyone be fully aware of these candidates and what their positions are and get a sense of who they are as people, to see them interact and how do they interact with the other candidates on stage and with the moderators and audience. That’s information too. It’s an important election, and perhaps the most important in our history. To say, ‘I will tune out’ (because the frontrunner isn’t there) is dangerous. I think people need to be aware of who these candidates are. Anything can happen in a year. It’s a long time in politics.

Q: Megyn Kelly talked with you recently about the “tough talk” of Republicans running for president, but that they were light on policy details. How are you prepared to get some specifics out of these candidates, and what are your goals for how this debate plays out?

A: We need to (ask) questions that are written in a way to push these candidates to talk about specifics and to get them off their talking points. I don’t think I’m revealing anything because it’s such a huge area for so many Americans. Sealing the boarder. No one has said how they will do that. ‘To seal the border on Day 1,’ (but) What do you mean? Tell me what that looks like.’ My frustration as a viewer and a voter is to listen to a sometimes really great answer from these candidates, but to be still left wondering ‘How do you do that?’ I think that is our challenge. That is why we are all, as a team, working very hard together to write these questions to elicit specific answers and if they chose to dodge … they still have the opportunity sometimes to answer the question and (the viewer) can see a non-answer then spouted in front of them. That is our aim and I hope the viewers … notice when (a candidate) refuses to provide those details when they were given the chance to do so.

Q: Abortion politics in the Republican Party is proving to be a difficult topic, and you and Kelly talked at length about it during an interview on NewsNation. Alabama is among the most conservative states in the nation, where abortion is illegal. But states where ballot initiatives are allowed (they are not allowed in Alabama) are showing that voters view this subject differently than Republican politicians and candidates. How do you plan to get these candidates address the political realities on abortion against the conservative pro-life message they are so used to delivering on this issue?

A: I am not going to get into our questions specifically. We saw that this issue came up in the third debate in that we saw a resounding victory for the pro-choice movement in deep red Ohio. I am sure it will come up. It is an issue. Election after election in many purple states and deep red states, and not blue states have shown that most Americans, even Republicans, agree that you can be against abortion and still be in favor a personal decision a woman makes with her doctor. For many, many years, the Republican Party has argued this is not a federal issue but a state issue. It’s interesting to hear that people can now switch positions on that and still advocate for a federal ban. I’m sure it’s an issue that will come up (during the debate in Alabama) and it has shown to be and correct to point out that … for the Republican Party, they recognize this is a problematic political issue in that when voters go to the polls and even voters in deep red states … it is (an issue) that has caught the Republican Party by surprise.

Q: Trump has vowed to take an even tougher stance on immigration policies if he is elected – massive migrant camps, reallocating military funds to support mass deportations, travel bans and more. How important is it to get the candidates on stage and the Republican Party, in general, to respond to Trump’s hardline proposals?

A: The southern border is one of the most important issues to Republican voters according to every poll we’ve read. We’ll obviously talk about what their plans are on the southern border. As former President Trump offers solutions on the border that are certainly extreme, you know, it will be interesting to get the candidates thoughts on what they would do and perhaps what their … ideas would be particularly because at least two of the candidates on the stage – DeSantis and Chris Christie … are both lawyers. Governor Christie is a former prosecutor. They would know the law. You can say a lot on the campaign trail. That is the beauty and power of the debate. It’s one thing to say something at a rally or on Twitter but another thing to be on stage to defend the position before voters. It’s a shame former president is Donald Trump (is opting not to participate).

Q: NewsNation bills itself as an engaging bipartisan network. Chris Cuomo, Dan Abrams and more are on the network. In an era of hyper partisanship, where conservatives migrate to Newsmax or Fox and liberals are watching MSNBC at night, is there a long-term market for NewsNation’s programming?

A: Listen, you are right. We have an incredibly fractured and polarized environment now. It cannot continue. At some point people have to come out of their partisan silos and meet on common ground. It’s the only way this country will be great and be a leader in this world stage that it needs to be and strives to be. NewsNation is not hyper partisan. We serve the moderate majority. Yes, you have an engaged fringe partisan audience. But we are committed to serving the vast majority of Americans who are in the middle, the center left and right. That’s where our audience is. I don’t think it’s good for our country to (have TV viewers) go to cable news networks and for affirmation instead of information (and where) you want people to echo their own political talking point.

There are a lot of people who are not aware of the network. If I have a dollar for everyone who asks, ‘How do I watch your show?’ (Vargas encourages viewers to go to https://www.newsnationnow.com/channel-finder/ to find a way to watch the channel in their market).