Introduction:

On Thursday night Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off for the first time since 2020 on the debate stage, in a CNN moderated live event. This marked the first time since the previous election that voters had the opportunity to see the Democratic and Republican candidates speak live on the same stage. It was also many viewers’ first chances to hear the candidates answer policy questions and see how they would respond to recent attacks and controversies. Throughout the debate, moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash allowed Biden and Trump to refute one anothers’ claims, rather than offering fact checking themselves. This style of moderation is a departure from the debates in 2020 which saw moderators taking a more hands-on role in questioning the two. In the wake of the live event, many have been discussing the effects this debate will have on both candidates’ campaigns, as well as who they believe ultimately came away with a victory. While Trump has mostly been scrutinized for false claims he made regarding Biden and his policies, Biden has taken much more criticism online, including from his own base. Critics observed the incumbent’s lack of energy, his tendency to seemingly get lost during his answers, and at times incoherence. While many viewers saw Biden as having better responses to the questions, they falter when it comes to his on-stage presence, with many pointing to Trump as the victor in this area.

The Economy:

The first of many policy areas that became talking points for the candidates was the state of the U.S. economy. For Trump’s campaign thus far, he has focused on attacking Biden’s economy, and continued to do so on the debate stage. Most of his remarks pointed to specific areas in the U.S. which he claims Biden harmed. He contended that Biden has caused inflation, a rise in food prices, and that he seeks to raise taxes. Biden, on the other hand, pointed to Trump’s recent statements on removing the income tax in place of tariffs, claiming Trump’s proposed ideas would harm Americans. The two also battled on the topic of unemployment levels of black Americans, with Biden claiming that it is at a historic low point.

Roe v. Wade:

Before the debate, many viewed the topic of Roe v. Wade as an area that Biden would be able to press Trump on. However, during the event, Biden ended his response on the issue by going into anecdotes, with viewers calling this into question. Trump also dodged the question in his response, instead turning to attacks on Biden, referring to his policies as “radical.” Biden countered by claiming that politicians should not be making decisions about women’s health. Toward the end of this segment, Trump ultimately stated that he would not seek to block the Supreme Court’s recent statements on the abortion pill.

Immigration:

A massive topic for both Trump and Biden was immigration, which was expected. Biden began his response by claiming there are 40% fewer people illegally crossing into the U.S. He also affirmed a need to improve on the humanitarian side while mitigating the crisis. Trump responded to Biden by claiming that terrorists are coming into the U.S. from everywhere. The bulk of his immigration response centered on Biden rather than his own ideas for policy. Trump also brought up veterans, and stuck to this point for a chunk of his allotted time, even going back to it during the next question segment. The former president also made claims of migrants killing Americans, referring to it as “migrant crime” and then “Biden-migrant crime” (Trump, CNN Debate, 2024). This was expected to be a contentious topic, and both candidates attacked each other on their policies, but like other segments, it ultimately devolved into a discussion unrelated to the question.

Foreign Policy:

Trump and Biden also attacked one another when it came to the topic of the war in Ukraine. When asked whether he would support a proposed agreement by Russian president Vladimir Putin, Trump did not answer. Instead he brought up the earlier topic of U.S. veterans, as well as the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan referring to it as “the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country” (Trump, CNN Debate, 2024). He then attributed the war in Ukraine and the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel to the Afghanistan withdrawal. Trump eventually answered the segment’s question, stating that Putin’s terms are not acceptable, but also pointing to U.S. spending on Ukraine. He then claimed the war would be settled before he took office in January, should he be elected. Biden pressed on the issue, referring to Putin as a war criminal, and emphasizing the need to stop aggression. When it came to questions on the Middle East, Biden attempted to walk the line, denouncing Hamas while citing humanitarian concerns in Israel’s approach. Trump responded that we “will have to see” about an independent Palestinian state (Trump, CNN Debate, 2024).

Further Responses:

When questioned about the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, the two candidates sparred on whether Trump encouraged it or not. Trump continued to blame former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, while Biden took the chance to bring up Trump’s recent felony conviction. This opened up a debate about Trump’s conviction, where the former president brought up the President’s son, Hunter Biden, while claiming President Biden himself should be convicted. Further debate came with questions about environmental policy, healthcare, and democracy, through which both candidates attacked each others’ presidential term and proposed policies for 2024. Trump also visibly reacted to Biden a lot while the president talked. He also claimed that other countries do not respect the U.S. anymore since Biden took office.

Impact:

Thursday’s debate offered voters a first look at the Republican and Democratic nominees. Pitted against each other, the event gave the candidates the stage to question and refute one another live, for the first time since the 2020 debates. At the debate’s conclusion, and with a few months until the second one, both candidates’ bases will seek to shore up their bases while swinging on the fence voters to their sides. Trump will be criticized mostly for his unfactual claims, while many democrats may be worried after Biden’s struggles to prove his age will not be a factor should he win a second term. Did one candidate secure a clear victory on Thursday night, and will this debate be a crucial point for swinging voters one way or the other?

Sources: Trump, Donald, and Joseph Biden. First Presidential Debate, CNN, Atlanta, Georgia, 27 June 2024.

Images: Andrea Widburg, “Trump and Biden, ” Donald Trump and Joe Biden, official portraits from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Biden_2013.jpg and en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_official_portrait, December 31, 2019.

Emma Kaden, “Trump & Biden,” Original photos by Gage Skidmore, October 1, 2020.

First Presidential Debate Recap and Highlights

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