WASHINGTON: Joe Biden and Donald Trump are set to square off in a historic US presidential debate this week, marking a pivotal moment in the 2024 race as millions of potential voters tune in.
This debate kicks off what promises to be a tumultuous summer on the campaign trail, with the United States still deeply polarized and reeling from the chaos and violence of the 2020 election.
With only two debates scheduled this cycle, Thursday’s high-stakes clash holds heightened significance. Both candidates have intensified their personal attacks, with national polls showing them neck and neck. “The debate is important because it’s an opportunity for two well-known candidates to ‘reintroduce’ themselves to a public that knows them well but hasn’t been paying attention,” said Donald Nieman, a political analyst and history professor at Binghamton University in New York state.
For Trump, the 90-minute debate is a chance to underscore concerns about the 81-year-old Biden’s mental alertness, despite facing age-related criticisms himself at 78. For Biden, this first-ever debate between a sitting and former president is an opportunity to highlight the legal challenges Trump faces and portray him as unfit for office. The president will also be keen to avoid any major gaffes that could jeopardize his chances in the November election.
This debate follows a criminal trial that has preoccupied Trump for months, with his sentencing on 34 convictions for falsifying business records scheduled for July 11. Both candidates have bypassed the bipartisan commission that has run debates since 1988, opting instead for a first showdown with CNN and a second on ABC on September 10.
Key issues likely to dominate the debate include abortion, the state of US democracy, foreign conflicts, inflation, and border security. The last debates between Biden and Trump in 2020 were marked by frequent interruptions, with Biden at one point telling Trump to “shut up.” This time, moderators have more tools to maintain order, with microphones muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.
“Trump is notoriously undisciplined and is likely to chafe at not being able to dominate the event by talking over his opponent,” said political scientist Nicholas Creel of Georgia College and State University. “Biden is also counting on this debate reminding Americans of the chaos that was the Trump presidency.”
Debates are as much about social media soundbites as policy arguments, and both candidates will seek explosive viral moments. “I’ll be looking for whether former president Trump tries to become more ‘presidential’ in any respect, though the campaign trail would suggest the answer to that is no,” said Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University.
The Biden campaign recently released an ad attacking Trump over his criminal convictions. Meanwhile, Trump, who struggles with detailed policy discussions, has been focusing on tone and broad substance at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Nieman suggests that Trump could benefit by sticking to a script, highlighting Biden’s weaknesses on inflation and immigration, and dialing down the bombast to appeal to suburban, college-educated women.
