The stage was set for a clash of titans as President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, Donald Trump, faced off in a highly anticipated debate on Thursday evening. This unprecedented event, marking the earliest general election debate in history, provided an unparalleled opportunity for both candidates to define their visions for the nation in a presidential rematch.
For Biden, the 81-year-old Democratic incumbent, the debate served as a platform to reassure voters of his ability to guide the U.S. through a multitude of challenges. He aimed to solidify the choice voters will face in November. Trump, at 78, sought to move past his recent felony conviction in New York and convince a vast audience that he possesses the temperament necessary to return to the Oval Office.
Both candidates entered the debate facing significant headwinds. Public sentiment, according to polls, reflects a weariness with the tumultuous nature of partisan politics and a general dissatisfaction with both candidates. However, the debate illuminated the stark differences in their perspectives on core issues, including abortion, the economy, and foreign policy, and highlighted the deep hostility existing between them.
The debate commenced without a handshake, as the two candidates strode onto the stage and proceeded directly to their lecterns. Biden, facing the first question, was pressed to defend the rise in inflation since taking office. He attributed this to the challenging circumstances he inherited from Trump, particularly the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Biden’s initial answer was marked by a noticeable hoarseness, requiring him to clear his throat twice, eliciting a smirk from Trump.
The two candidates hadn’t engaged in conversation since their last debate weeks before the 2020 presidential election. Trump notably skipped Biden’s inauguration following his unsuccessful attempt to overturn the election results, which culminated in the January 6th Capitol insurrection by his supporters.
Trump has outlined sweeping plans to reshape the U.S. government should he return to the White House, while Biden argues that his opponent represents an existential threat to the nation’s democracy.
The debate, broadcast on CNN and moderated by anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, broke new ground in several ways. It marked the earliest general election debate in history and was the first ever televised general election presidential debate hosted by a single news outlet. This shift was a result of both campaigns rejecting the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which had organized every matchup since 1988.
In an effort to avoid a repeat of the chaotic 2020 debates, Biden insisted, and Trump agreed, to hold the debate without an audience and allow the network to mute the candidates’ microphones when it was not their turn to speak. The two commercial breaks also differed from typical practice, and the candidates agreed to refrain from consulting with staff or others while the cameras were off.
Trump and his aides have spent months emphasizing what they believe are signs of Biden’s declining stamina. In recent days, they have started to predict a stronger performance from Biden, aiming to raise expectations for the incumbent. Biden’s team has also expressed confidence in his ability to rise to the occasion and expressed hope that Trump would be forced to address his positions, which they believe are unpopular with voters.
“Joe’s ready to go. He’s prepared. He’s confident,” Jill Biden, Joe’s wife, told donors ahead of the debate. “You know what a great debater he is.”
Following the debate, both Biden and Trump will travel to states they hope to sway in their favor in the fall. Trump is heading to Virginia, a state that was once a battleground but has shifted toward Democrats in recent years. Biden is set to travel to North Carolina, where he is expected to hold the largest rally of his campaign in a state that Trump narrowly won in 2020.
