The initial presidential debate of the 2024 US election quickly turned into a challenging situation for Democrats, as the 81-year-old incumbent Joe Biden struggled to convince a nation that is skeptical of his ability to serve a second term.
In anticipation of the upcoming election, voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with the two candidates involved. During the debate, the focus shifted towards Donald Trump's criminal convictions. Biden criticized his Republican opponent, questioning his moral character and bringing up Trump's affair with porn star Stormy Daniels and allegations of sexual abuse by writer E. Jean Carrol.
"What is the amount of civil penalties you owe for the incident involving a woman?" Biden questioned the actions of engaging in intimate relations with an adult film performer while one's spouse was expecting a child.
"I did not engage in any intimate relations with an adult film actress," Trump retorted, uttering a sentence that had never been uttered in a presidential debate before.
The 90-minute debate at CNN's Atlanta headquarters was a tense affair, with both men clearly displaying their animosity towards each other. They made no attempt to shake hands, setting the tone for the rest of the event.
However, around twelve minutes into his speech, Biden - who seemed a bit tired from the beginning - seemed to have a momentary lapse in his train of thought while discussing the economy.
The somewhat disjointed performance caused quite a stir within the Democratic Party, leading to discussions about the possibility of finding an alternative candidate before the Democratic National conventions in August, where the official nominee will be announced.
Joe Biden's debate performance was highly disappointing. According to former White House communications director Kate Beddingfield, there seems to be no alternative perspective on the matter.
He failed to demonstrate the necessary energy and stamina to win over the American people. So I believe that is something to be concerned about.
The performance was quite surprising considering Biden's time spent at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland. During his stay, he engaged in mock debate sessions with 16 advisors in a movie theatre on the property.
Trump adopted a more flexible approach, participating in what his team referred to as "policy discussions" prior to the debate, while also focusing on his campaign. Additionally, he made baseless allegations about Biden's potential use of performance-enhancing drugs or even cocaine to improve his performance. He proposed that both candidates undergo drug testing prior to the debate.
In order to avoid a recurrence of the tumultuous initial presidential debate of 2020 - which was widely regarded as a fiasco due to Trump's incessant interruptions and heckling of Biden over 100 times - the microphones were muted to allow the candidates to respond with minimal disruption.
However, the format appeared to be well-suited for Trump, as he wasted no time in launching attacks on a raspy-voiced Biden, targeting his key vulnerabilities such as the crisis at the US-Mexico border, cost of living pressures in America, and violent crime.
"If he is successful in the upcoming election, our country's prospects are grim," he remarked. The situation is extremely dire, to the point where our country's future is in jeopardy. He is absolutely terrible, without a doubt.
During the event, he even interrupted the president, expressing his confusion about the conclusion of the president's statement. I doubt he has any idea about his own words.
Biden showed improvement in certain areas, especially during the moment when Trump was questioned by CNN moderator Dana Bash about his willingness to accept the election results, regardless of the outcome.
"If it is a fair and legal and good election, absolutely," he reluctantly admitted after attempting to avoid the question.
Biden responded by saying, 'I doubt you will accept it because you tend to complain,' he said. When you initially filed, you persistently pursued legal action in various courts nationwide. None of the courts in America found any merit in your claims, yet you persisted in spreading this falsehood.
Foreign policy was also discussed tonight, as Trump declined to support a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict and criticized Biden for involving America in costly wars.
In regards to abortion, Trump made a commitment to not impede access to abortion pills, while also claiming responsibility for the Supreme Court's ruling to overturn Roe v Wade, a landmark decision that granted women in America the constitutional right to access abortion.
"What occurred is that we brought it back to the United States, and the nation is now uniting on this matter," Trump stated. "It has been a wonderful development."
In regards to the economy, Biden positioned himself as a strong advocate for middle-class and working-class voters. He highlighted his administration's initiatives to combat corporate greed, lower prescription drug prices, and alleviate other financial burdens.
However, it did little to alleviate the concerns of the Democrats or dampen the excitement of Trump's campaign.
According to a news release, spokespeople Susan Wiles and Chris LaCivita expressed their belief that President Trump delivered an exceptional debate performance and achieved a significant victory, reaching a large voter audience.
