US election - "Disaster" - Biden fails in TV duel against Trump
Joe Biden's weak performance at the first TV debate against his challenger Donald Trump raised doubts about his fitness for the office. The television debate on Thursday evening (local time) was seen as a test for the 81-year-old Democrat. During the roughly 90-minute back-and-forth, Biden frequently stumbled, speaking incoherently, softly, and with a hoarse voice. It was often difficult to follow the most powerful man in the world. Biden's weak performance overshadowed Trump's performance filled with lies. According to US media, the much-anticipated TV debate caused panic in the Democratic Party.
Biden is campaigning for a second term in the presidential election in early November. The 78-year-old Trump is also running for the Republicans. According to the polls, the two are neck and neck. The theme of advanced age of the candidates has been a constant topic in the campaign. The debate marked the heated phase of the US election campaign and was hosted by CNN in Atlanta, Georgia. Biden and Trump were not allowed to use cheat sheets during the debate and had to speak freely. The debate took place without a studio audience. The microphone of the presidential candidate who was not speaking was muted.
Trump declared victory in the debate
A quick survey by the US broadcaster CNN showed Trump as the clear winner of the debate. According to the poll, 67% of the respondents voted for the 78-year-old, while 33% saw Biden as the winner. Biden said after his performance that he thought he had done "well." "I have a sore throat," he added. Harris had to defend Biden's performance on US television. US commentators were shocked by Biden's debate performance. "Biden's answers were often disconnected," said political journalist Abby Phillip.
Biden's age is a frequent topic in the campaign. He entered the White House as the oldest US president ever and is now 81 years old. Trump is not much younger at 78. However, the alarm bells are ringing among the Democrats. The "Washington Post" reported that Biden's campaign team had acknowledged internally that the US president struggled on the debate stage and that his performance had damaged his candidacy. "A disaster," said a Democratic congressman to CNN - but like many critics from the party, he wanted to remain anonymous.
Biden stumbles
Biden had intensely prepared for the debate and had no public engagements in the week before the debate. He used his appearance to attack Trump unusually harshly and personally. However, his attacks barely landed because Biden frequently stumbled. Often, he seemed to be staring into space during the exchange and had his mouth open. Even on the topic of abortion, which is usually a winning issue for Democrats, Biden could not really score points. Abortions are necessary in some cases, he emphasized. Then he seemed to lose his train of thought and said: "There are many young women who are raped by their stepfathers, husbands, brothers, and sisters."
At the TV spectacle, Biden and Trump were grilled by the moderators on a range of topics. The two politicians were questioned about economic policy, abortion, immigration, and had to express their views on international crises such as the Russian aggression in Ukraine or the Middle East conflict. Trump went after Biden harshly, making him responsible for the Russian aggression in Ukraine and accusing him of being unfit for the presidency. "He is, without a doubt, the worst president (...) in the history of our country", Trump spat.
Trump's performance faded into the background
In a bizarre moment, the two discussed their abilities on the golf course and challenged each other to a duel. Biden chuckled when he made fun of Trump's weight. In contrast, Trump spread false information and made inaccurate statements about certain economic data during his tenure in comparison to Biden's. Once again, the Republican refused to commit to accepting the outcome of the November election. Unsurprisingly, this did not cause much of a stir given Biden's performance. Trump lost the presidential election in 2020 to Biden but still refuses to acknowledge his defeat.
The Republican, however, managed to avoid his usual long monologues filled with self-pity. It was noticeable that Trump had traveled to Atlanta without his wife Melania. While Biden's wife Jill joined him on stage at the end of the debate, Trump was left alone.
- The upcoming US presidential election in November will see Joe Biden campaigning for a second term at the White House, while Donald Trump represents the Republicans.
- The first TV debate between Biden and Trump, hosted by CNN in Atlanta, was seen as a crucial test for Biden's fitness for the office and a pivotal moment in the US election campaign.
- The 90-minute debate saw Biden frequently stumbling, speaking incoherently, softly, and with a hoarse voice, making it challenging for viewers to follow his arguments.
- Despite Biden's weak performance, the Associated Press declared that he emerged unscathed in the debate, while Trump's performance filled with lies overshadowed Biden's.
- The much-anticipated TV debate caused panic within the Democratic Party, according to US media, with critics focusing on Biden's debatable cognitive skills.
- The US media, including CNN, expressed disappointment in Biden's performance, with political journalist Abby Phillip stating that his answers were often disconnected.
- Biden's campaign team reportedly considered his performance at the debate a disaster, damaging his candidacy in the #USElection2024 and causing concern among the Democrats.
- In response to his poor performance, Democratic congressman was quoted as saying, "a disaster," although he wished to remain anonymous.
- As the presidential election campaign continues, spectators and critics await another televised showdown between Biden and Trump, as it's almost sure to have a significant impact on the outcome of the election.
