Atlanta (US), June 28 (Representative) Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off in the first US presidential debate for the November 2024 election that saw the former stumble while his contender notched “a clear win”. Thursday night’s showdown was marked by personal attacks besides a stumbling performance from the Democratic candidate and incumbent Biden, who “struggled with a hoarse voice and occasional verbal blanks”, a BBC report said. Democrats have expressed concern over the President Biden’s performance, the report said, adding that American media suggested, “Biden’s early answers triggered panic among some Democratic strategists. Supporters hoped on social media the sitting US president would rebuff questions over his age. It was distressing for them to see him falter on the abortion issue where clearly could have scored, they said.
Vice President Kamala Harris defended Biden to CNN, saying it “was a slow start, but there was a strong finish”. Biden was repeatedly attacked on the economy and his foreign policy record. While he took aim at Trump’s criminal conviction and the former Republican president’s “alleged attempts” to overturn the 2020 election. Coming into Thursday evening, many Americans had expressed concerns about Joe Biden’s age and fitness for office. “To say that this debate did not put those concerns to rest may be one of the greatest understatements of the year,” BBC said. Most critics on news channels opined that Biden came into the debate with a low bar to clear, and he stumbled. “He was flat. He was rambling. He was unclear,” was the overall verdict. Roughly midway through the debate, the Biden campaign told reporters that the president has been battling a cold – an attempt to explain his raspy voice as it became increasingly difficult to understand him.
On the other hand, Trump expectedly made comments that “weren’t exactly true” and fact-checker into overdrive. Once again there was concern over Trump’s unwillingness to accept the outcome of the election. Overall, the debate highlighted Biden’s old age, while the controlled format helped Trump deliver a more measured performance, the BBC said. Republicans claimed to BBC that the debate was “a clear win for Trump” and “he solidified himself as the clear front-runner”. This is the second time Biden and Trump challenge each other for the White House after Trump lost in 2020. Atlanta is capital of Georgia, a key battleground state and one which Biden won by fewer than 13,000 votes in 2020. The next debate debate is scheduled for September 10 ahead of the November 5 elections. A Republican Convention will be held in Milwaukee on July 15, and the Democratic Convention is scheduled in Chicago on August 19.