CNN Debate Behind the Scenes.
BANFIELD: Less than 30 hours to go before the first group of Republican contenders face off on CNN. This debate could reset the 2016 race. The stage is set at the Reagan Library, that's the site of tomorrow night's big event. CNN's Athena Jones is live there in Simi Valley, California, right now. So, Athena, take me on a bit of a tour and sort of give me the background behind the scenes, and the front of the scenes, and all of the scenes that we're going to see tomorrow night.</s>ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ashleigh. Well, take a look here at what the audience will look like. You're looking at about fewer than 500 seats are going to be in the audience for this big debate tomorrow night. You can see teams here that have been preparing. They're doing rehearsals all day. But it's a rather intimate setting here. These are people who were invited by the Reagan Library itself, also by the Republican National Committee, and then a few of the folks in the crowd are folks that will be invitees of the campaign, but it's a much more intimate setting than we saw in that first debate, which was in an arena where they play basketball. So thousands of people versus a few hundred. It could affect how the candidates interact with each other. But let me show you here the podiums that are now set up. You can see the candidates are only going to be a few inches from each other. It's less than two feet. They'll be standing shoulder to shoulder. Donald Trump, of course, center stage because he is at the top of the polls. He will be flanked by Ben Carson and Jeb Bush. And then over here, right behind here, that is the backdrop, the interesting backdrop that we have. It's spectacular, really. It's the Air Force One that President Ronald Reagan flew on. And now CNN has built this entire stage. This does not usually exist. They have spent weeks building this stage - it's three stories high - in order to allow that airplane to be the backdrop. And it's really symbolic. You hear Republican candidates all the time talking about Ronald Reagan. He's an icon of the party. And so it's only fitting to have his plane be the backdrop tomorrow night, Ashleigh.</s>BANFIELD: Just real quickly, has anyone arrived yet and do they get a chance to go up and do any rehearsals or just sort of get their sea legs going?</s>JONES: Well, the candidates are arriving tomorrow, but we know, for instance, that Donald Trump is one of the only one we know that is not hunkering down and studying. He had a big rally last night. Tonight he has a speech on national security to veterans. He said that his whole life has been preparation for a debate. On the other side, you have candidates like Jeb Bush, who really has to have a good showing here. I'm told that he's going to be trying to point out his proven, conservative record, deliver a hopeful, optimistic message and show he has a plan to reform what he calls a broken Washington, and try to draw a contrast between himself and Donald Trump. But we'll all be watching tomorrow night as these guys and the woman, Carly Fiorina, who is the addition, the new addition to the prime time debate, as they battle it out. Ashleigh.</s>BANFIELD: I love the setting where you are. It's really terrific. That Air Force One is just majestic in the backdrop. Thank you, Athena, appreciate that.</s>JONES: Thanks.</s>BANFIELD: Coming up next, are the candidates nervous as the hours tick down to the big debate. You just heard Athena talking about Donald Trump saying his whole life has been gearing up for a debate, but who's going to be all night studying? Who's just going to show up and winging it? And, by the way, when they study, who are all those helpers that prep them for what's going to happen in that majestic library?