Outcomes from early US presidential debate: What’s Next?
28 June 2024, By Grey Pilarczyk
CNN just concluded its first Biden-Trump debate of the 2024 election cycle, eliciting very mixed reactions. The debate largely consisted of Biden defending the record of his first term while Trump vowed to dismantle Biden’s policies on matters such as immigration, taxes, social security, abortion, and inflation.
However, in the aftermath of the debate, the general public does not appear especially concerned with the candidates’ proclaimed policy positions. Instead, many prospective voters and media personalities have focused on the candidates’ mannerisms throughout the debate. Both Biden and Trump were, at times, somewhat incoherent in their responses to moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Although comprehensive polling data is not yet available, many in the media have claimed this debate may have been “disastrous” for Biden, as he spoke quietly and unintelligibly for much of the event, further fueling concerns that he may simply be too old to be president. Reportedly, some lawmakers within the Democratic Party are discussing the possibility of replacing their party’s nominee, although this seems rather unlikely to take effect so close to the election.
Ultimately, this first debate has not given us considerable insights into the candidates’ views or future policies. Rather, both Biden and Trump used this opportunity to throw insults at each other, a game in which Trump appears to have come out on top.
Image Source: Al Jazeera
