US President Joe Biden and his Republican challenger Donald Trump commenced their first debate of the 2024 election cycle on Thursday at CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta.
The two adversaries did not exchange handshakes as they assumed their positions at podiums just feet apart in a studio devoid of a live audience.
They aim to redefine the political landscape by addressing economic issues, foreign policy, international crises, the nation’s immigration challenge, and the state of American democracy.
Economy: Biden, who answered the first question, quickly criticized his predecessor for overseeing “an economy that was in free fall” and mishandling a pandemic where “many people were dying.”
“We had an economy that was in free fall. The pandemic was so badly handled, many people were dying. All he said was not that serious — just inject a little bleach in your arm,” he said, referring to Trump’s advice during the COVID pandemic.
Trump responded by saying that under his leadership from 2017 to 2021, “we had the greatest economy in the history of our country,” before the pandemic struck and said he took action to prevent the economic free fall from deepening even further.
“We have never done so well. Everybody was amazed by other countries were copying us,” he said.
He also claimed that inflation under Biden is “killing” the United States.
Biden shot back: “Well, look, the greatest economy in the world? He’s the only one who thinks that.”
Biden acknowledged that inflation had driven prices substantially higher than at the start of his term but said he deserves credit for putting “things back together again” following the coronavirus pandemic.
Abortion: US President Joe Biden attacked Republican Donald Trump for his role in curbing American abortion access, calling it “a terrible thing” after his Republican rival boasted of nominating Supreme Court justices that helped overturn Roe v. Wade.
“It has been a terrible thing, what you have done,” Biden said, in one of his firmer critiques of his presidential predecessor as the two squared off in Atlanta in their first in-person debate of the 2024 election season.
Immigration: Biden accused Trump of exaggerating and telling lies about the state of the country’s immigration crisis.
The idea that illegal immigrants are being welcomed in the United States is “simply not true,” Biden said.
“There’s no data to support what he said. Once again, he’s exaggerating. He’s lying,” Biden said.
Ukraine War: Donald Trump laid the blame for the Ukraine war at US President Joe Biden’s feet, insisting that the invasion never would have happened “if we had a leader.”
“This is a war that never should have started. If we had a leader… He’s given $200 billion now or more to Ukraine, he’s given $200 billion. That’s a lot of money. I don’t think there’s ever been anything like it,” Trump said.
“You’re the loser” Biden delivered a broadside at Donald Trump during their debate, declaring “you’re the loser” as he accused his Republican rival of disparaging veterans and members of the military.
“My son was not a loser, he was not a sucker,” Biden said of his late veteran son Beau, referring to Trump’s alleged comments in 2018 that he refused to visit a European cemetery with American war dead and called them “losers.”
“You’re the sucker, you’re the loser,” Biden told Trump, who denied ever using the word to describe US troops.
The current and former presidents are competing at a crucial time, with many voters worried about choosing between Biden, the oldest incumbent at 81, and Trump, now a convicted felon at 71.
Both candidates aim to change these perceptions to win over undecided voters.
Millions of Americans are watching this debate, which marks the beginning of what is expected to be a tough summer of campaigning in a deeply divided and tense United States, still affected by the chaos and violence of the 2020 election.
Today’s debate adopts a new format, without a studio audience and with strict microphone rules to ensure a more orderly discussion. The absence of a studio audience and the introduction of microphone muting are intended to keep the debate focused on the issues.
Trump holds a slight advantage in key swing states, but the national race remains extremely close. As the candidates take the stage, they aim to address their political vulnerabilities and sway undecided voters.
I am an experienced writer, analyst, and author. My exposure in English journalism spans more than 28 years. In the past, I have been working with daily The Muslim (Lahore Bureau), daily Business Recorder (Lahore/Islamabad Bureaus), Daily Times, Islamabad, daily The Nation (Lahore and Karachi). With daily The Nation, I have served as Resident Editor, Karachi. Since 2009, I have been working as a Freelance Writer/Editor for American organizations.
