Joe Biden and his opponent Donald Trump are preparing for one of the most significant moments in the American presidential elections as they face off in their first presidential debate out of two scheduled. This event carries a level of risk for both candidates, as it could potentially turn the race for the White House on its head, with both aiming for a second term in the upcoming elections. The debate will take place without an audience and will have no commercial breaks. The candidate's microphone will be muted while their opponent speaks, and neither will be allowed to bring their supporters inside the CNN studio in Georgia.
The first debate, which will occur on Thursday night, is expected to be the climax of the campaigning, which has recently intensified with personal attacks. Trump stated in an interview with the right-wing outlet Newsmax regarding his preparations for the debate: "I feel like I've been preparing for this my whole life. We're going to do very well."
The 2024 elections appear closely contested, although polls show Trump with a slight advantage in all swing states, with the outcome likely to be determined by just a few states and hundreds of thousands of votes. CNN is hosting the 90-minute debate in Atlanta. Biden, who is 81 years old, faces significant concerns about his mental competency, especially since voters are expected to raise his age more often than Trump’s, who is only three years younger.
Both candidates have occasionally stumbled in public appearances and shown lapses in memory, but Trump has particularly surprised many with his provocative speech. Additionally, the former president is embroiled in a series of criminal cases in court. Biden’s campaign has released a statement saying that Trump is preoccupied with "revenge" instead of helping voters, and the Democratic National Committee has put up billboards in Atlanta reminding voters that the Republican Trump is "convicted."
Biden has spent the week away from the spotlight at Camp David near Washington to prepare and conduct mock debates. Trump's preparations have been more relaxed, as he avoided formal debate training in favor of informal roundtable discussions and strategy workshops with crowds. His aides encouraged him to focus on areas where he excels, such as the economy, while Biden aims to portray Trump as unstable and unfit for office.
Trump's campaign has repeatedly characterized Biden as weak and incompetent, but they modified their strategy in recent days after warnings that lowering expectations for the Democratic president would only assist him. Trump’s senior advisor, Jason Miller, told reporters: "We know that Joe Biden, after taking a full week off, will be ready for this."
Supported by right-wing media figures, Trump and his team have promoted the unfounded theory that Biden will be vital due to "performance-enhancing drug use." The former president has also suggested that CNN is biased against him. Miller stated that Trump will present himself as the clear choice if allowed to "show his vision for America without the overt interference of CNN or the moderators of the debate," which will mark the first-ever debate between candidates who have held the presidency.
One of Biden's biggest weaknesses is border security; Trump has promised to combat the influx of illegal immigrants from Mexico through mass deportation and has repeatedly raised concerns about crimes committed by immigrants. American media reported that Trump is expected to invite family members of victims of violence by migrants to Atlanta, although the debate will have no audience. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday that new restrictions led to a drop in the rate of illegal crossings to the lowest level in over three years, diminishing the use of immigration as a primary attack line.
