TV DEBATE | Biden 81, Trump 78
Roberto Festa describes the highly anticipated presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, highlighting their unpopularity and the unprecedented nature of the event. The debate, organized by CNN instead of the traditional commission, features strict rules and focuses on the candidates’ advanced ages. Biden faces significant pressure to demonstrate his capability, while Trump relies on his charisma but may be hindered by the lack of an audience. The debate is expected to underscore the stark differences between their visions for America and is set against a backdrop of deep political polarization.
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by Roberto Festa
The presidential debate that many Americans would have preferred not to see. All polls in recent months show that a significant majority of voters do not believe Joe Biden and Donald Trump have improved their lives as presidents. All polls reveal that both, albeit for different reasons, are widely unpopular. Yet tonight in Atlanta, in front of CNN cameras, for the first 2024 presidential debate, there will be Biden and Trump, making the blockage of American democracy even clearer with their physical presence, marked by a lack of leadership turnover, elite power, extreme polarization, and the spread of all kinds of fake news. To underscore the uniqueness of the moment, tonight’s debate also brings many “firsts.” It is the first time a president and a former president face off in front of the cameras. It is the first time since 1988 that the debate between presidential candidates is not organized by the “Commission on Presidential Debates” but directly by a network, namely CNN, which has set very precise rules: no audience in the room, microphone turned off for the candidate who does not answer a question, no notes allowed. And it is the first time that two such elderly candidates face each other. Biden will be 82 at the time of the vote. Trump 78.
The age issue has been looming for months. Especially on Biden, depicted by political enemies as physically debilitated, not fully in possession of his mental faculties, an almost senile elder who cannot withstand another four-year term. Indeed, the president tonight cannot afford to make mistakes. He cannot stammer. He cannot get stuck searching for a word. It is no secret that the one most at risk tonight is him. In front of millions of Americans, Biden must appear energetic, focused, and relaxed. He must convey to viewers the impression that he can still be the commander-in-chief for another four years.
It is well known that very little is needed to decide a presidential debate. Richard Nixon’s sweat on his forehead in the first TV debate on September 26, 1960, against then-Senator Kennedy did not make a good impression. On the other hand, Ronald Reagan’s brilliant quip dismissing concerns about his age in the 1984 debate with Walter Mondale, whom he called “young and inexperienced,” made a great impression. And it did not bode well for George H.W. Bush to check his watch in front of the cameras in 1992, as if the debate with Bill Clinton was a nuisance to be ended as soon as possible.
Presidential debates often hinge on a look or an expression. Biden, in politics for over 50 years, knows this. It was he who asked for two debates this year instead of three, as per tradition. And it was he who asked for them to be held well in advance of the vote. Biden and his team have accounted for a poor performance. In such a case, they want to have a few months to recover. Also, according to the latest Washington Post poll, Trump is ahead of Biden in 5 out of 7 key states.
It must be said that the president has always performed well in crucial moments. He won the first TV debate with Trump in 2020. And more recently, his appearance in Congress for the State of the Union Address was very good. Biden has spent the last few days at Camp David, preparing for tonight’s debate with his aides (as in 2020, Trump’s role in the simulations is being played by his personal lawyer Bob Bauer).
Donald Trump, who has minimized the preparatory aspects (just a few rehearsals with Florida Senator Marco Rubio) and preferred to hold rallies where he once again mocked Biden’s physical and mental faculties, has not shown the same discipline. “At Camp David, to pump him up, they gave him a shot in the butt,” he told his cheering fans.
The Republican candidate is counting on his communicative charisma, but tonight’s rules may not favor him. There will be no audience in CNN’s studios, and it is known that Trump performs best at rallies, fueled by his supporters’ enthusiasm.
As for the topics, it is certain that the Republican will focus on the economy and inflation. And it is equally certain that the Democrat will emphasize the attack on women’s reproductive rights.
More than on the topics, however, tonight’s debate will likely revolve around two radically different visions of America – and two diametrically opposed personalities. Trump is the successful tycoon, embodying a glittering and aggressive America, reluctant to look at the world, nostalgic for a past greatness that Democrats are said to have destroyed.
Biden, on the other hand, presents himself as the experienced politician, capable of mediation, a guarantor of the United States’ global role, determined to defend American democracy from the subversive threat of his rival, who disregards rules and limits, even questioning the most sacred thing in democracy. The legitimacy of the 2020 vote. About “rigged elections.” We will likely hear more about this tonight and during this campaign. The idea of being a victim of a “rigged” system, from elections to the media to the courts, is now an integral part of Trumpian rhetoric. Lara Trump, Donald’s daughter-in-law, has already said that tonight’s debate on CNN will be, needless to say, “rigged.”
Il Fatto Quotidiano, June 27, 2024
