There is a sense of anticipation in the American public as they await the debate between the U.S. presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump, especially given the many contentious issues that concern American voters, such as immigration, the economy, abortion rights, and impeachment, alongside external issues like the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the war in Gaza.
Tomorrow, President Joe Biden will face off against former President Donald Trump in a CNN debate in Atlanta, marking their first direct encounter since their last debate on stage in 2020. American newspapers view this as a rich opportunity for both candidates to present their political arguments and lines of attack to the American public.
The New York Times states that Republican candidate Donald Trump has focused his campaign on attacking Biden regarding immigration and the economy, which polls indicate are the primary concerns of many voters. Trump is likely to criticize Biden’s recent executive action on immigration, which prevents migrants from seeking asylum at the southern border during surging crossings, while attempting to leverage negative sentiments regarding the economy, rising food and housing costs, and inflation to attack Biden.
The report highlights that Trump mocks President Biden's physical attributes during his campaign, imitating his walk and speech, arguing that his opponent is unfit to be president, a potentially significant angle in the debate. Conversely, the American newspaper noted that Biden and his campaign plan to target Trump on abortion and democracy, areas where polls show voters trust Biden more than his predecessor, having often criticized Trump’s handling of these issues.
Political analyst Andrew Jose from Washington considers the debate a display of competency and appearance, essential to reassure American voters during challenging domestic and foreign political times. He emphasized that voters will assess whether Trump or Biden can articulate a clear and inspiring vision for America that contrasts with the prevailing pessimism.
Jose expects both candidates to promise substantial changes to the system rather than defending the status quo, providing a way to overcome the current gloomy situation and demonstrating how each side intends to accomplish that effectively. Regarding the key issues to be discussed, he believes Trump’s impeachment will be on the agenda, as the current president Biden will attempt to exploit this to delegitimize Trump’s candidacy, while Trump will use the debate to portray Biden and the Democrats as resorting to what he claims are third-world tactics to target opponents before a major election.
He noted that Biden has made several bold political decisions, including recent moves that offer some relief to the spouses of undocumented immigrants from U.S. citizens, making Biden's immigration policy record a central topic of discussion.
Aside from domestic issues, there are foreign policy concerns that matter to voters, particularly relating to China and the war in Gaza. George Washington University political science professor Nabil Michael predicts that the China and Gaza conflict issues will feature prominently in the debate, with each candidate attempting to outdo the other in showing support for Israel. Here, Trump could place Biden in a challenging position by proposing stronger political recommendations to support Israel, which Biden cannot easily rival without losing backing from the progressive base and minorities who support the party.
With a general trend toward worker-focused policies, both Biden and Trump will attempt to portray their policies as favoring the American worker rather than corporations. According to Michael, this populist inclination from both left and right factions of American politics is here to stay.
To avoid a repeat of the contentious first encounter between Trump and Biden four years ago, various rules insisted upon by Biden's team this time have been accepted by Trump's campaign. These rules include muting each candidate's microphone except when it is their turn to speak, and no audience will be present in the studio to synchronize with cheers and jeers, as reported by the Associated Press.
Traditionally, presidential debates are broadcasted between candidates in September or early October, dating back to the first debate between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon in 1960, making this debate early, demonstrating the heat of competition according to CNN, which will host this televised contest for 90 minutes in its Atlanta studios.
CNN affirmed that the debate could be a decisive moment in the presidential race, which has crystallized earlier than usual, featuring globally recognized candidates with four years of governing experience. Experts believe it will represent an opportunity for each candidate to demonstrate their mental and physical capabilities to American voters amid ongoing mutual accusations concerning this issue.
