Both rivals take the stage for the 90-minute debate that seeks to allay fears about political responsibilities.
Atlanta, United States:
Joe Biden and Donald Trump will face off in a historic US presidential debate on Thursday, setting the stage for what could be a turning point in the 2024 race as millions of voters tune in to the rivals’ clash.
The confrontation, between the oldest incumbent in history and a convicted felon, kicks off what promises to be a painful summer of campaigning in a deeply polarized and tense United States, still convulsed by the chaos and violence that They accompanied the 2020 elections. .
With only two debates left in this election cycle, Thursday’s high-stakes event takes on added importance, and both candidates have stepped up their personal attacks, with national polls showing them tied.
As the candidates put the finishing touches on their debate strategy, a critical question remained: Will Trump, the political pugilist, rein in his aggressive tendencies or unleash his rebellion, as he did in his chaotic first debate four years ago?
“I think I’ve been preparing for this my whole life… We’re going to do very well,” Trump told right-wing network Newsmax in an interview about his debate preparation.
The president will be desperate to avoid major mistakes. Meanwhile, on Wednesday he pulled no punches, at least on social media, where he said that “Donald Trump is the biggest threat to our democracy,” a message he will surely try to drive home on debate night.
The president arrives on Air Force One on Thursday in Atlanta, capital of the southeast Georgia battlefield, for the duel at CNN headquarters, while his rival arrives on his private jet, nicknamed “Trump Force One.”
Trump enjoys a slight lead in key swing states, but polls overall look extremely close in an election that will likely be decided by a few final photos in a handful of battlegrounds.
The latest Quinnipiac University poll conducted on Sunday shows Trump leading Biden nationally, 49 percent to 45 percent.
Both rivals take the stage for the 90-minute debate that seeks to allay fears about serious political responsibilities.
Biden, 81, faces the most concern about his mental acuity, and voters are much more likely to mention his age than Trump’s, even though the Republican is just three years younger.
Ahead of the first debate between two candidates who have already occupied the Oval Office, both Trump and Biden have made mistakes that have raised questions about their age, sometimes stumbling over their words or appearing confused.
Trump is also embroiled in controversy over his inflammatory rhetoric, his recent conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records, not to mention other criminal cases he faces, and his fears that he will use the presidency as a weapon to settle personal scores.
Fine adjustment or freewheeling
Biden has spent the week under the radar at the Camp David retreat near Washington, honing his lines of attack in mock debates under real television lighting.
Trump’s preparation has been more relaxed, eschewing dress rehearsals in favor of informal policy roundtables and debate strategy workshops with crowds of protesters.
His advisers have encouraged him to focus on his perceived strength in the economy and crime, while Biden will seek to portray Trump as unhinged and unfit for office.
The Trump campaign has repeatedly characterized Biden as weak and incompetent, but changed course in recent days following warnings that setting low expectations for the Democratic president would only help him.
“We know that Joe Biden, who after taking a whole week off, will be prepared for this,” Trump campaign senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters.
Trump and his team have also been pushing the baseless theory that Biden will be enthusiastic about performance-enhancing drugs and have made repeated biased insinuations from CNN.
One of Biden’s biggest vulnerabilities is border security, as Trump promises to combat an influx of undocumented immigrants from Mexico with mass deportations and repeatedly mentions murders committed by immigrants.
The Biden administration said Wednesday that there has been a 40 percent drop in illegal crossings since the president’s new executive action last month to crack down on the border.
More Americans expect a Trump victory than a Biden victory (40 percent to 30 percent), but only one in 10 thought the debate was even somewhat likely to change their vote.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated channel.)