Is Biden on the ball, can Trump get beyond half sentences?
Four years ago, the television face-offs of the US presidential campaign were named: Joe Biden against Donald Trump, with roles reversed. The president and the challenger are preparing themselves. Both must leave their comfort zones, as assistance is forbidden.
In the USA, the first peak of the presidential campaign is approaching: On Thursday night into Friday, the incumbent will meet his predecessor, challenger, and potential successor. In short: Joe Biden faces Donald Trump. Many speak of a historic showdown on television. On one side, there is the visibly aging president, the Democratic candidate with grand ideas for the future. On the other side, there is the indicted and convicted Republican, seeking revenge and holding different political plans for the United States.
This will be the first of two television debates between the two designated candidates for the November election. The audience will see the gloves come off. Biden cannot read out his prepared statements. Trump cannot serve his thought stream to the friendly audience as he does during campaign speeches. Instead, viewers will get an impression of the two men. Is Biden still up to the task? Does Trump manage to hit the mark, or does he lose focus? Viewers evaluate presidential debates in US elections typically based on two questions: Does a candidate have what it takes to be president? And of course: Which is the better candidate?
The two will meet again for the first time since four years. In the 2020 campaign debate, Biden was more dynamic than in the previous months, but Trump was hardly containable, interrupting Biden whenever he spoke; at one point, the Democrat, irritated, asked without looking away: "Can't you just keep your mouth shut?" This time: orderly proceedings instead of interruptions. The microphone of one will be turned off when the other speaks.
No Teleprompters, no prepared notes
There will be no audience in the CNN studio, so there will be no comments, applause, or heckling from there. It's about content. Biden, who is now under constant fire from the opposition due to his age-related appearances, will not have Teleprompters or notes available to him, just like Trump.
The two adversaries must prepare. Biden has been at the presidential retreat Camp David since Thursday, preparing for the television debate. Trump is also preparing with Republican allies on potential topics that are sure to come up: Economy and inflation, immigration, national security. Regardless of who comes out on top and wins in November - the winner will be the oldest newly sworn-in US president of all time.
A majority of US voters view Biden and Trump as too old to sit in the White House for another four years, with the opposition being more critical of Biden. The president is 81 years old, and his challenger is also 78. Trump and the Republicans continually portray Biden as senile, incapable, and a failure. However, they may have set the bar too low for Biden. This could backfire on them if he puts on a good show.
Trump is therefore likely to engage in last-minute expectation management. The Republican claimed he would not only be attacking Biden, but also the moderators. Biden is also a "respectful debater," whom he does not want to underestimate. This had already happened in March before his speech on the state of the nation - but Biden handled it easily. Fox News television moderator Sean Hannity stated this in early June on Fox News, "this wasn't the normal Joe" [regarding Biden's performance], "whatever he drank, ate or took, maybe just (an energy drink) and caffeine pills." Since then, things have not been seen that way. "But we'll see it at the debate," he speculated.
Trump's attack surface has grown larger
A nimble, aggressive, or even feisty Biden: Regardless of which one will be seen, the Republicans have prepared for everything. Biden, on the other hand, will try to provoke Trump as much as possible. He will certainly bring up Trump's conviction in the hush money trial.
The effects of the ruling are now also becoming apparent in polls, such as a survey by Fox News. It showed for the first time since October 2023 a small advantage for Biden. The reason: a shift in independent voters' mood. Biden is currently at 50 percent, Trump at 48 percent. Biden cannot afford to rest on this, however.
There are also other results that give the Democrats quiet hope. About one third of American citizens said in the survey that the economy is in good or excellent condition, a record value in Biden's tenure so far; and 44 percent are optimistic about the economy, a plus of 9 percent compared to the previous year. Do the voters trust the current president to improve the situation further? Or do they simply see him as the lesser evil compared to Trump? Biden should at least present a solid image in the television duel for this.
During the upcoming US presidential election in 2024, Donald Trump and Joe Biden will square off once more in television debates. Unlike before, there will be no interruptions, as microphones will be silenced when one speaker is talking. Both candidates, Biden and Trump, will not have Teleprompters or prepared notes to rely on. The debates will offer a chance for viewers to evaluate the two men's abilities and determine which is the better candidate, particularly focusing on their suitability for the presidency amidst growing concerns about their age.
