US election - Biden fails to score points in TV duel against Trump
Joe Biden put in a shaky performance during his first TV debate against his challenger Donald Trump, raising doubts about his fitness for the office. The television debate marked the heated phase in the US election campaign and was hosted by CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. Biden and Trump were not allowed to use cheat sheets during the face-off and had to speak freely. The debate took place without a studio audience. The microphone of the presidentials candidate who was not speaking was muted.
Fiery Debate in Atlanta
Biden is campaigning for a second term in the presidential election in early November. Trump, who is 78 years old, is running for the Republicans once again. According to polls, the race between the two is neck-and-neck. A major theme in the campaign is the advanced age of the candidates. The TV debate kicked off the intense phase of the US election campaign.
Biden had intensely prepared for the debate and had no public engagements in the week leading up to it. According to US media, he had a cold, but a coronavirus test was reportedly negative. During the spectacle, Biden and Trump were grilled by the moderators on a range of issues. The two politicians had to express their views on economic policy, abortion, immigration, and had to address international crises such as the Russian aggression in Ukraine or the Middle East conflict.
Biden stumbles
Biden took Trump on fiercely in the debate with unusually harsh words - he called him a "clown" and a "loser." The 81-year-old accused the Republican of having the "moral integrity of a gutter rat." However, his attacks fell flat due to Biden's frequent stumbles. Even US Vice President Kamala Harris spoke of a "rocky start" after the debate. A quick CNN poll showed Trump as the clear winner of the debate. According to the survey, 67% of respondents voted for Trump, while 33% saw Biden as the winner.
US media quoted unnamed Democratic Party officials who expressed concern after Biden's performance. The question of whether Biden is the right candidate for the White House came up. Democrats reportedly expressed confusion over why Biden, who is usually a strong point for the Democrats on issues like abortion, which was overturned by the Supreme Court two years ago, couldn't score points.
Biden expressed hope for a return to nationwide abortion rights - the Supreme Court had overturned this right two years ago. Abortions are necessary in some cases, he emphasized. Then, he seemed to lose focus and said, "There are many young women who are raped by their grandfathers, husbands, brothers, and sisters." Often, he seemed to be staring into space during the debate and had his mouth open.
Trump relies on common rhetoric
Trump went hard at Biden and said he is not suitable for the office of the US President. In a bizarre moment, the two discussed their capabilities on a golf course and challenged each other to a duel. Trump spread numerous falsehoods again and made false statements about certain economic data during his tenure in comparison to Biden's. The Republican refused to commit to accepting the outcome of the November election.
Trump lost the Presidential election in 2020 against Biden, but he still refuses to acknowledge his defeat. The Republican launched a campaign against the election outcome and tried to reverse it with all means. This culminated in the violent attack on the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. Biden regularly accuses his opponent of being a threat to democracy.
- The US media closely watched Biden's performance during the CNN-hosted debate in Atlanta, Georgia, as it marked a significant phase in the #USElection2024 US election campaign.
- Despite Trump's age, he is once again running for the Republicans in the US Presidential election, and CNN's debate marked the beginning of the intense election campaign.
- Biden's campaign team reportedly prepared extensively for the debate, with him avoiding public engagements to focus on his preparation, but a cold and negative coronavirus test added uncertainty to his performance.
- The US election campaign has been marked by heated debates, with both candidates, including Biden and Trump, facing tough questions on various policy issues such as the economy, immigration, and international crises.
- Political analysts and the US media have been monitoring the campaign closely, with many expressing concern about the advanced age of the two leading candidates, Biden and Trump.
- Joe Biden, who previously supported abortion rights, recognized the importance of the issue in the campaign and emphasized the need for nationwide abortion rights, but his frequent stumbles during the debate raised doubts about his presidential fitness.
- The debate resulted in mixed reactions, with some US media outlets praising Biden's performance and others criticizing his frequent stumbles and focus issues, while a quick CNN poll showed Trump as the clear winner.
- The US election campaign also involves the two major political parties, the Republicans and Democrats, with the latter aiming to secure a second term for Biden in the White House while the Republicans advocate for Trump's return to the office.
