Biden vs. Trump Early Debate Highlights Age and Competency Concerns in 2024 Election Race

Photo : AP

Washington: On Thursday night, Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican rival Donald Trump will take the stage for a much-anticipated debate, offering voters a rare side-by-side comparison of the two oldest candidates ever to seek the U.S. presidency. Biden, aged 81, and Trump, 78, will be under significant pressure to demonstrate their command of the issues and avoid verbal missteps in a race that opinion polls have shown to be deadlocked for months.

The 90-minute televised debate, the first to feature a sitting president and a former president, will be broadcast at 9 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Friday) on CNN. This debate is taking place unusually early—more than four months ahead of the November 5 Election Day.

This debate comes at a time of profound polarization and deep-seated anxiety among voters regarding the state of American politics. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in May, two-thirds of voters expressed concern that violence could follow the election, reflecting the lingering impact of the January 6, 2021, storming of the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

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Trump, who faces a trio of criminal cases, including one related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, will need to convince undecided voters that he does not pose a threat to democracy, as Biden has asserted. Despite his criminal convictions, Trump continues to falsely claim that his 2020 election defeat was due to fraud and has suggested he would seek retribution against his political enemies if he were to return to power.

Biden arrived in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon under immense pressure to deliver a strong performance, countering Republican claims that his faculties have declined with age. Prior to the debate, the Biden campaign released a video featuring former Trump aides who declared they would not support him in this election. “Take it from the people who know Donald Trump best—he is unfit to be president,” Biden stated on social media platform X.

Biden's advisers have indicated that he will focus on highlighting Trump’s role in threatening abortion access, portraying him as a danger to democratic norms, and reminding voters of Trump’s often tumultuous term in office from 2017 to 2021. On the other hand, Trump is expected to address high levels of inflation, the record numbers of migrants entering the country illegally under Biden's administration, and question Biden’s leadership on the global stage amid conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, according to his advisers.

Trump, who arrived in Georgia approximately three and a half hours before the debate, posted on social media what appeared to be advice from a former administration member on how to counter attacks on his environmental record. The notes from former Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler urged Trump to promise lower carbon dioxide emissions and support domestic energy production. A campaign spokesman later clarified that the post was not an error. “The Biden team has been previewing their attacks—all week,” spokesman Stephen Cheung said.

Disliked Duo

While national polls indicate a tied race, Biden has trailed Trump in most battleground state polls and has recently seen his financial advantage diminish after Trump’s criminal conviction related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels.

“Biden needs a change in the status quo, and this debate is his best opportunity yet to do it,” said Jacob Rubashkin, an elections analyst at the nonpartisan website Inside Elections.

Both Biden and Trump face significant unpopularity, with many Americans remaining ambivalent about their choices. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that about a fifth of voters have not committed to a candidate, are considering third-party options, or may abstain from voting.

“They're horrible candidates,” said Kathy Elder, a 59-year-old sales manager who voted for Trump in 2016 but switched to Biden in 2020. Elder expressed her frustration with both candidates, saying, “Can he speed this up and actually talk?” in reference to Biden, and “What the hell is going to come out of his mouth?” about Trump.

The mutual dislike between Biden and Trump has been evident in their previous encounters. During their first debate in 2020, Trump’s aggressive interruptions turned off many voters. To prevent similar disruptions, CNN plans to mute the candidates’ microphones when it is not their turn to speak. The debate will occur without an audience, and neither candidate will be allowed to bring notes or props, although they will have access to pen and paper.

Mary Trump, Trump’s niece and a vocal critic, will join Biden's campaign in its media spin room following the debate, according to a campaign official.

The second and final debate for this election cycle is scheduled for September. For a visual recap of past debates, see the Reuters photo slideshow

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