President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump took the stage in Atlanta on Thursday night for their inaugural debate of the 2024 election. It was a historic first: a sitting president going head-to-head with his predecessor. They tackled big-ticket items like abortion, immigration, foreign policy, and inflation in a 90-minute debate moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. There was no live audience and each candidate had their mic muted while the other spoke in an attempt to keep things orderly.
The event came in the midst of Trump’s legal issues following his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, yet it was Biden’s campaign under the gun, according to CNBC coverage. The President sounded hoarse and subdued, which his camp chalked up to a cold. This physical setback seemed to reflect larger concerns about Biden’s age and energy. His delivery throughout the evening was noticeably soft. He often stumbled over details like stats and legislative specifics, missing chances to sharply criticize Trump’s track record, including his Supreme Court picks and their role in dismantling Roe v. Wade’s abortion protections. This came to a head during a segment on border security, where Biden’s muddled remarks prompted Trump to comment on his clarity, or lack thereof.
“I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence,” Trump said. “I don’t think he knows what he said, either.”
Trump stuck to his election denial script. He said he would accept the 2024 election results if they were “fair and legal,” but reiterated baseless claims of 2020 election fraud. In a departure from his typically abrasive style, however, Trump didn’t pounce on Biden’s verbal fumbles nearly as often as he could have.
Things got personal nevertheless. Biden brought up Trump’s criminal convictions, and Trump hit back by referencing Biden’s son, Hunter, who was recently found guilty on felony gun charges. The debate got especially spicy when Biden accused Trump of infidelity with Stormy Daniels, which Trump flatly denied.
Both candidates ended up blaming their economic challenges on the pandemic, which made parts of the debate feel like a rerun of their last electoral bout. This repetition seemed more about rehashing old arguments than offering new insights or solutions.
Biden was on the defensive throughout the event and didn’t transmit the approachable “Middle Class Joe” vibe he’s known for. This result has stirred uncertainty within the Democratic Party about the choice to run Biden with minimal opposition, ramping up the tension and anticipation for their next showdown on September 10.
