The first debate of the 2024 election season kicked off Thursday night (27th) in Atlanta, Georgia, with President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump neck-and-neck as both candidates try to appeal to currently undecided voters. The debate marked at least two “firsts” – the first time the two White House contenders faced off at such an advanced age, and the first time CNN hosted a presidential debate.
In the first half hour of the debate, a hoarse-voiced Biden was disorganized in his answers to questions and at times incoherent in his defense of his policies and accomplishments, the Associated Press reported. Trump, for his part, countered with lies on issues such as the economy, abortion and defense spending by NATO members. The two also traded personal attacks.
Trump asked if he would accept the results of the 2024 election
Although Trump was asked three times, he never directly stated that he would accept the results of the election regardless of who won. Trump repeatedly stated that he would accept the results “if it’s a fair, legal and good election,” but did not give a “yes” or “no” answer to host Dana Bash’s question. ” Trump ultimately condemned political violence as “totally unacceptable.”
And Biden responded to that by saying he suspected Trump wouldn’t accept it “because you’re so whiny.”
The two were questioned about their age
More than 80 minutes into the debate, Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, were asked about their age and questioned about their ability to serve as president at that age. In response, Biden cited his own litany of policy accomplishments and noted that Trump is only “three years younger.” He also hit back at Trump with this response, “Think we’re some kind of failed state? I’ve never heard any president say that before.”
And in Trump’s rebuttal, he bragged about his golf game and said he’s in as good a shape as he was 25 years ago, maybe even “a little better.”
Biden quoted the wrong number
At two different moments in the debate, Biden said either 159 or 158 presidential historians believe Trump is the worst president in U.S. history. Biden admitted he didn’t have the exact number, which would be 154, according to a survey conducted by professors at the University of Houston and Coastal Carolina University.
Biden: Trump wants to cut Social Security benefits
Biden pointed to a plan for the whole social community by some House Republicans to cut $1.5 trillion in Social Security benefits by raising the retirement age as evidence that Trump wants to cut the program.
Congressional Republican leaders have given up on cutting Social Security benefits, but many believe the future fate of the program is in doubt in the long run.
Trump talks about climate change
Asked what he would do to combat climate change, Trump said the U.S. had “absolutely pure, clean water” and air during his presidency. Biden retorted, “He’s done ‘nothing’ for the environment.”
Americans think Trump has done a poor job on climate change during his presidency. Nearly half of Americans say Trump has hurt the U.S. on climate change while in office, while only about 1 in 10 Americans think Trump has helped the U.S. during his presidency.
Trump talks about congressional riots
The debate question turned to the January 6, 2021, congressional riots, with moderator Jake Tapper asking Trump if he had violated his oath to protect and defend the Constitution. Trump quickly turned to immigration and taxes. When asked about his role in the congressional riots, he said he encouraged people to act “peacefully and patriotically” and then attacked then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He falsely claimed that Pelosi had “rejected” his offer to send “10,000 soldiers or National Guard troops” to the Capitol during the riots.
Pelosi does not command the National Guard. Moreover, when the Capitol was attacked, she and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called for military assistance, including from the National Guard. There is no evidence that Pelosi or McConnell instructed security officials not to call the guard beforehand.
Discussing the congressional riots, Biden said, “The only convicted felon on this stage is the man I’m looking at right now,” referring to Trump.
First mention of the “hush money” charge
Nearly 45 minutes into the debate, Biden finally mentioned that Trump had been convicted of a felony in New York. Trump then tried to deflect from his legal problems by referring to Biden’s son Hunter as a “convicted felon.” He was referring to Hunter’s felony conviction on three gun charges this month.
Biden talks about NATO
Biden, who bragged about pushing European allies to spend more money on defense, hit back at Trump as “the guy who wants to get out of NATO” while he is the guy who “got 50 other countries” to support Ukraine.
Some polls show that about 60 percent of Americans think NATO membership is very or somewhat good for the United States, while only about 1 in 10 think it is very or somewhat bad.
Trump on Russia and Ukraine
Speaking about foreign policy, Trump said Russia would never attack Ukraine if he were in office. “If we had a real president, a president who knew he was respected by Putin, Putin would never invade Ukraine.” He said.
Trump has a long history of making positive comments about Putin’s assertiveness, a passion he has not shown for Ukraine or Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Issues related to migration
Trump complained that undocumented immigrants were being housed in “luxury hotels” while veterans were living on the streets. Unsurprisingly, he also focused on crime by undocumented immigrants. He said he had “the most secure border in history” when he was in office – a highly questionable claim and a familiar theme. For his part, Biden emphasized the 40 percent drop in arrests of undocumented immigrants since the executive order suspending asylum was issued.
Notably, Biden used the term “illegal aliens” in response to Trump’s attacks on immigration. This is not the first time Biden has used a term rejected by immigrant rights groups and unpopular with Democrats. In March, during his State of the Union address, he used the word “illegal” when describing the suspects in the killing of a nursing student in Georgia, which he later regretted.
