It rarely happens that a single candidate Presidential debates They had a lot of material to use against the other.
Republican Donald Trump 34 have been convicted of felonies, while three other indictments are still pending. As president, Trump nominated three judges who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade and reduce abortion access in the US, sparking protests even in conservative-led states.And his sweeping plans for a second term include promises of revenge against political enemies in both parties.
Still a big question for the President Joe Biden Whether that is fair or not depends on whether, at 81, he has the physical and mental capacity to make his case against Trump. Perhaps nothing matters more than the kind of energy and vigour the Democratic candidates display on stage.
Both fighters have numerous flaws that present a huge opportunity and risk for their opponent. They will face a huge national audience that includes many who will be watching their rematch for the first time in 2020 and who will not see another debate until September, which will exaggerate their every success or mistake.
Biden and Trump will face off for 90 minutes inside CNN’s studios in Atlanta on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Here are some key questions we’ll be looking at:
Will Biden be able to perform? At least one obstacle to Biden’s success is posed by the 78-year-old Trump and his Republican allies, who over the years have relentlessly mocked the Democratic president for his apparent age-related lapses. Trump’s allies have questioned whether Biden could stay awake for a full 90 minutes.
Democrats hope Biden will appear with the same energy he did in his State of the Union address earlier this year. But facing off on live television against an opponent who relishes verbal warfare is very different from a scripted speech before Congress.
Biden’s team knows he wouldn’t want to have a bad night with the nation watching.
Can Trump be boring? Having already solidified his base, Trump has a chance to woo voters and liberals who played a key role in Biden’s victory four years ago and are now expressing concerns about both candidates.
But to win over so-called “double haters,” Trump can’t rely solely on the red-meat talk, personal insults and conspiracy theories that typically dominate his public appearances. Instead of more talk of vengeance or lies about the American electoral system, he’ll need to offer an optimistic vision for the future and a clear distinction with Biden on traditional kitchen-table issues like health care and education.
He was heavily criticized for his outburst in the first debate with Biden in 2020, heckling the then-Democratic nominee and repeatedly interrupting him. Their second debate took a softer tone and focused on their differing governing approaches.
In short, Trump should be somewhat boring on Thursday night. Can he remain disciplined? Some allies are hopeful. History might suggest otherwise.
The extraordinary legal burden of dealing with Trump’s criminal record creates opportunities and risks for both candidates on stage.
Biden’s campaign in recent days has signaled a growing willingness to investigate Trump’s criminal record. But aside from a few jokes, Biden has largely distanced himself from Trump’s lawsuits to avoid the appearance of political interference.
Trump, who has for years alleged without evidence that Biden was responsible for the prosecution of him, will not find this line easy for the president to walk.
A recent poll shows that about half of U.S. adults agree with Trump’s convictions in New York. And if voters don’t think those convictions are troubling, Trump’s attempt to hide his alleged affair with a porn actress is hardly worth a bumper sticker.
Meanwhile, Biden knows Trump could attack his son Hunter, as the then-president did on the debate stage four years ago. Hunter Biden He was recently convicted of three felony charges related to buying a gun while allegedly intoxicated. Trump has also questioned Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings while his father was vice president.
Muted mics and moderators As is often the case, the moderator and ground rules will shape the outcome of the debate. And the ground rules for this debate, the first of two scheduled meetings, are unusual.
It is notable that the candidates are bypassing the traditional framework set by the Presidential Debate Commission, and instead relying on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
Biden and Trump will debate at the CNN studios in Atlanta without an audience. There will be no opening statements. Each candidate’s microphone will be muted, except when it is his or her turn to speak. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. Candidates will only be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
A coin toss determined that Trump would deliver the final closing statement.
The event will be moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, two respected anchors who have not hesitated to call out Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories.
Though Bash and Tapper have at times provided critical coverage of Biden, Biden’s camp has no doubt that they will play an active role in debunking Trump’s potential falsehoods in real time. For example, Biden’s microphone will be muted when Trump is speaking, but the moderator’s mics will not be muted.
Abortion vs. Immigration Although style sometimes matters more than content on the debate stage, both candidates face serious policy challenges.
For Trump, there is no bigger issue than abortion. His Supreme Court appointments while he was president enabled the Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a flood of abortion restrictions across the country. Trump has repeatedly said he is proud of his role in overturning Roe. And Biden will be eager to highlight Trump’s role.
Of course, Trump has said he will not support a national abortion ban if he is re-elected. But given his track record on Roe, he has more work to do if he wants to convince women he can be trusted on a crucial issue of healthcare.
Meanwhile, Biden’s biggest political liability may be immigration. The Democrat’s administration has struggled to limit the number of immigrants entering the country at the US-Mexico border. His aides privately acknowledge that the issue could become a major political liability in the autumn.
Trump loves nothing more than highlighting illegal immigration, so expect him to attack Biden on the issue.
At the same time, Biden will face tough questions about his leadership in the war between Israel and Hamas. The president has alienated some potential supporters on both sides because of his staunch support — and sometimes criticism — of Israel.
On Thursday night, he will have a big chance to defend his record on this complex issue. It won’t be easy.
Republican Donald Trump 34 have been convicted of felonies, while three other indictments are still pending. As president, Trump nominated three judges who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade and reduce abortion access in the US, sparking protests even in conservative-led states.And his sweeping plans for a second term include promises of revenge against political enemies in both parties.
Still a big question for the President Joe Biden Whether that is fair or not depends on whether, at 81, he has the physical and mental capacity to make his case against Trump. Perhaps nothing matters more than the kind of energy and vigour the Democratic candidates display on stage.
Both fighters have numerous flaws that present a huge opportunity and risk for their opponent. They will face a huge national audience that includes many who will be watching their rematch for the first time in 2020 and who will not see another debate until September, which will exaggerate their every success or mistake.
Biden and Trump will face off for 90 minutes inside CNN’s studios in Atlanta on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Here are some key questions we’ll be looking at:
Will Biden be able to perform? At least one obstacle to Biden’s success is posed by the 78-year-old Trump and his Republican allies, who over the years have relentlessly mocked the Democratic president for his apparent age-related lapses. Trump’s allies have questioned whether Biden could stay awake for a full 90 minutes.
Democrats hope Biden will appear with the same energy he did in his State of the Union address earlier this year. But facing off on live television against an opponent who relishes verbal warfare is very different from a scripted speech before Congress.
Biden’s team knows he wouldn’t want to have a bad night with the nation watching.
Can Trump be boring? Having already solidified his base, Trump has a chance to woo voters and liberals who played a key role in Biden’s victory four years ago and are now expressing concerns about both candidates.
But to win over so-called “double haters,” Trump can’t rely solely on the red-meat talk, personal insults and conspiracy theories that typically dominate his public appearances. Instead of more talk of vengeance or lies about the American electoral system, he’ll need to offer an optimistic vision for the future and a clear distinction with Biden on traditional kitchen-table issues like health care and education.
He was heavily criticized for his outburst in the first debate with Biden in 2020, heckling the then-Democratic nominee and repeatedly interrupting him. Their second debate took a softer tone and focused on their differing governing approaches.
In short, Trump should be somewhat boring on Thursday night. Can he remain disciplined? Some allies are hopeful. History might suggest otherwise.
The extraordinary legal burden of dealing with Trump’s criminal record creates opportunities and risks for both candidates on stage.
Biden’s campaign in recent days has signaled a growing willingness to investigate Trump’s criminal record. But aside from a few jokes, Biden has largely distanced himself from Trump’s lawsuits to avoid the appearance of political interference.
Trump, who has for years alleged without evidence that Biden was responsible for the prosecution of him, will not find this line easy for the president to walk.
A recent poll shows that about half of U.S. adults agree with Trump’s convictions in New York. And if voters don’t think those convictions are troubling, Trump’s attempt to hide his alleged affair with a porn actress is hardly worth a bumper sticker.
Meanwhile, Biden knows Trump could attack his son Hunter, as the then-president did on the debate stage four years ago. Hunter Biden He was recently convicted of three felony charges related to buying a gun while allegedly intoxicated. Trump has also questioned Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings while his father was vice president.
Muted mics and moderators As is often the case, the moderator and ground rules will shape the outcome of the debate. And the ground rules for this debate, the first of two scheduled meetings, are unusual.
It is notable that the candidates are bypassing the traditional framework set by the Presidential Debate Commission, and instead relying on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
Biden and Trump will debate at the CNN studios in Atlanta without an audience. There will be no opening statements. Each candidate’s microphone will be muted, except when it is his or her turn to speak. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. Candidates will only be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.
A coin toss determined that Trump would deliver the final closing statement.
The event will be moderated by CNN’s Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, two respected anchors who have not hesitated to call out Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories.
Though Bash and Tapper have at times provided critical coverage of Biden, Biden’s camp has no doubt that they will play an active role in debunking Trump’s potential falsehoods in real time. For example, Biden’s microphone will be muted when Trump is speaking, but the moderator’s mics will not be muted.
Abortion vs. Immigration Although style sometimes matters more than content on the debate stage, both candidates face serious policy challenges.
For Trump, there is no bigger issue than abortion. His Supreme Court appointments while he was president enabled the Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, leading to a flood of abortion restrictions across the country. Trump has repeatedly said he is proud of his role in overturning Roe. And Biden will be eager to highlight Trump’s role.
Of course, Trump has said he will not support a national abortion ban if he is re-elected. But given his track record on Roe, he has more work to do if he wants to convince women he can be trusted on a crucial issue of healthcare.
Meanwhile, Biden’s biggest political liability may be immigration. The Democrat’s administration has struggled to limit the number of immigrants entering the country at the US-Mexico border. His aides privately acknowledge that the issue could become a major political liability in the autumn.
Trump loves nothing more than highlighting illegal immigration, so expect him to attack Biden on the issue.
At the same time, Biden will face tough questions about his leadership in the war between Israel and Hamas. The president has alienated some potential supporters on both sides because of his staunch support — and sometimes criticism — of Israel.
On Thursday night, he will have a big chance to defend his record on this complex issue. It won’t be easy.
