First TV duel - Joe Biden experiences disaster in first TV debate with Trump
US-President Joe Biden put in a shaky performance during the first TV debate against his challenger Donald Trump, raising doubts about his fitness for the office. The television debate on Thursday evening (local time) was seen as a trial by fire for the 81-year-old Democrat. Throughout the 90-minute back-and-forth, Biden frequently stumbled, speaking unclear, softly, and with a rough voice. It was often difficult to follow the most powerful man in the world. Biden went hard at his opponent Trump, but he appeared powerless and defensive. Trump, as usual, attacked Biden with aggressive rhetoric and repeated old accusations and lies. However, these attacks had less impact due to Biden's weak performance.
Fiery Debate in Atlanta
Biden is campaigning for a second term in the Presidential election in early November. The 78-year-old Trump is running for the Republicans once more for the White House. According to polls, the two are neck and neck. A hot phase in the US election campaign was kicked off by the debate, which was hosted by CNN in the US state of 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 presidential candidate who was not speaking was muted.
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 Corona test was reportedly negative. During the spectacle, Biden and Trump were grilled by the moderators on a range of topics. The two politicians had to answer questions on economic policy, abortion, migration, and had to express their views on international crises such as the Russian aggression in Ukraine or the Middle East conflict.
Biden stumbles
Biden took Trump on in the debate with unusually harsh words – called him a "clown" and a "loser." The 81-year-old accused the Republican of having the "moral integrity of a sewer rat." However, these attacks hardly landed, as Biden frequently stumbled. 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 poll, 67% of the respondents voted for Trump, while only 33% saw Biden as the winner.
US media quoted unnamed Democratic Party officials who expressed concern after Biden's performance. The question was raised whether Biden was really the right candidate for the White House, they said. Democrats were reportedly puzzled that the US President, on issues like abortion, which is traditionally a winning issue for the Democrats, could not score points.
Biden expressed hope for a return to the nationwide right to abortion – the Supreme Court of the country had overturned this right two years ago. Abortions are necessary in some cases, he emphasized. Then he seemed to be obviously promising and said: "There are many young women who are raped by their in-laws, by their 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 was not suitable for the office of the U.S. President. In a bizarre moment, the two discussed their abilities on the golf course and challenged each other to a duel. Trump spread false information again and made, for example, incorrect statements about certain economic data during his tenure compared to Biden's. He refused once again to commit to accepting the outcome of the November election.
Trump lost the presidential election in 2020 to Biden, but he still refuses to acknowledge his defeat. The Republican started a campaign against the election result and tried to reverse it with all means. This culminated in the violent attack of his supporters on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Biden regularly accuses his opponent of being a threat to democracy.
Consequences of the Debate
Following the debate, criticism against Biden's performance was rampant, with some even questioning his suitability for another term in the Presidential election. CNN, for instance, conducted a poll where 67% of respondents declared Trump the winner, while only 33% saw Biden as victorious.
Analysis of both Candidates
Despite Biden's aggressive language towards Trump, calling him a "clown" and a "loser," his shaky performance during the debate raised concerns amongst Democrats and US media. On the other hand, Trump, relying on his common rhetoric, presented himself as the clear winner in many people's eyes.
