In the first debate of the 2024 United States presidential race, President Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off in what has been a tightly contested match-up. However, despite delivering the opening remarks, Biden struggled to articulate his points at several moments, appearing to fumble for his words.
Trump capitalized on these moments, redirecting the conversation to Biden’s perceived weaknesses, particularly around immigration and the economy. He also evaded questions about whether he would honor the results of the November 5 election, reiterating false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
“The fraud and everything else was ridiculous,” Trump said, casting doubt on Biden’s 2020 win. Trump currently faces criminal indictments in Georgia and Washington, DC, over his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
The debate took place at CNN’s studios in Atlanta, Georgia, marking the first time since October 2020 that the two candidates met on the debate stage. Both had not participated in a public debate in years, leading many to wonder if they would be rusty.
Biden spent the week before the debate at Camp David in Maryland, preparing with aides, while Trump continued his rally schedule. Despite the preparation, Biden appeared unsteady from the moment he stepped on stage. He did come out swinging initially, attacking Trump’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and mocking his resistance to COVID-19 safeguards.
Trump, in contrast, used his characteristic hyperbole, claiming the economy was the best in history under his leadership and dismissing Biden’s points with brash statements.
The debate was crucial for both candidates. Trump implied that the country declined under Biden’s leadership, while Biden sought to defend the US’s standing in the world. “We’re the envy of the world. No one thinks we’re weak,” Biden asserted. Trump retorted, “Joe, our country is being destroyed as you and I sit up here and waste a lot of time on this debate.”
Polls ahead of the debate showed a tight race, with Trump appearing to edge ahead. A survey from The New York Times and Siena College released on the eve of the debate showed Trump with nearly 48 percent support, about four points ahead of Biden.
Political observers noted that the debate could deepen the divide, with many seeing it as a strong night for Trump. Alan Fisher, an Al Jazeera correspondent, highlighted that Trump reiterated many of his campaign talking points and appeared in command, while Biden seemed confused at times.
The debate, held unusually early to avoid overlaps with early voting, also broke from tradition as Biden and Trump bypassed the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates to organize it themselves with CNN.
Trump repeatedly slammed Biden on immigration, using heated rhetoric to conjure fears of violence. Biden attempted to dispel these claims, pointing out that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than US-born citizens and calling out Trump’s falsehoods on abortion access.
The debate also saw personal attacks, with Biden invoking the loss of his son Beau to counter Trump’s alleged comments about veterans, while Trump dismissed the report as fabricated.
Overall, the debate highlighted the stark contrast between the two candidates and set the stage for a contentious election season.
