On Thursday, US President Joe Biden delivered a shaky and halting performance in a debate against his Republican rival, Donald Trump, who attacked him with a series of often false accusations. The two oldest presidential candidates in history exchanged personal insults ahead of the November election.
The debate saw the two candidates spar over issues such as abortion, immigration, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, economic management, and even their golf games, as they sought to influence a race that has been virtually tied in opinion polls for months.
Biden’s allies tried to present a positive front, with two White House officials attributing his performance to a cold. However, his faltering debate appearance caused concern among Democrats and might deepen voter worries about the 81-year-old’s ability to serve another term.
One prominent Biden donor, who chose to remain anonymous, described Biden’s performance as “disqualifying” and predicted renewed calls for him to step aside before the Democratic National Convention in August.
Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking on CNN after the debate, acknowledged Biden’s “slow start” but urged voters to judge him and Trump based on their full terms in office. “I’m not going to spend all night talking about the last 90 minutes when I’ve been watching the last three-and-a-half years of performance,” she told CNN host Anderson Cooper.
Biden, who sounded hoarse, stumbled over his words during the first half-hour but gained confidence midway through the debate when he criticized Trump for his conviction related to hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, calling him a “felon.” Trump responded by mentioning the recent conviction of Biden’s son, Hunter, for lying about his drug use to buy a gun.
Biden then pointed out that almost all of Trump’s former cabinet members, including ex-Vice President Mike Pence, have not endorsed his campaign, questioning why they would not support him if they knew him well.
Trump, in turn, launched a series of criticisms, many of which were falsehoods he has frequently repeated, including claims that migrants have caused a crime wave, that Democrats support infanticide, and that he won the 2020 election.
Both candidates were under pressure to demonstrate their fitness for office. Biden has faced questions about his age and sharpness, while Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and legal issues remain significant concerns.
Political science professor Matt Grossmann from Michigan State University noted, “Biden still seemed old and less coherent than when he ran last time. Trump didn’t help himself beyond his existing supporters, but Biden’s performance likely reinforced concerns about his biggest vulnerability.”
When asked about the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack by Trump supporters, Trump refused to accept responsibility, claiming many of those arrested were innocent. Biden responded, “This guy has no sense of American democracy.”
Biden also criticized Trump for enabling the elimination of nationwide abortion rights by appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court. Trump countered that Biden would not support any abortion limits, advocating for the issue to be returned to the states.
Trump also accused Biden of failing to secure the southern US border, alleging an influx of criminals. “I call it Biden migrant crime,” Trump said, to which Biden replied, “Once again, he’s exaggerating, he’s lying.” Studies show immigrants do not commit crimes at a higher rate than native-born Americans.
The 90-minute debate on CNN occurred earlier than any modern presidential debate, more than four months before Election Day on November 5. The candidates debated without a live audience, and their microphones were automatically cut off when it was not their turn to speak, to prevent the chaos that marred their first debate in 2020.
The debate began with a focus on the economy, with Biden acknowledging inflation but asserting he deserves credit for economic recovery post-pandemic. Trump claimed he had overseen “the greatest economy in the history of our country” before the pandemic and took action to prevent deeper economic decline.
In a time of profound polarization and voter anxiety about American politics, a May Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that two-thirds of voters were concerned about potential violence following the election, nearly four years after the Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters.
