U.S. debate recap: Off-key moments, insights from the Biden-Trump face-off

U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump engaged in the inaugural presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle on Thursday evening.

Meandering responses from the incumbent president and inaccurate claims from his predecessor marked the 90-minute contest, setting a contentious tone for the campaign season.

CNN hosted the first presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle in Atlanta, moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

Biden and Trump addressed various topics, including the economy, abortion rights, Middle East policy, the January 6th insurrection at the Capitol, and Trump’s recent criminal conviction.

To maintain order, each candidate’s microphone was muted when they weren’t speaking, and the event was held without a studio audience.

Biden struggled in his early responses, speaking in a hoarse tone from a cold, which caused moments of confusion and lost trains of thought.

This stumbling performance raised concerns among Democrats.

In contrast, Trump displayed high energy but repeatedly spread falsehoods on various issues, including abortion, his criminal conviction, and President Biden’s immigration policies, resorting to dishonest tactics to make his points.

Biden tackled the pressing issue of economic hardship exacerbated by inflation, placing blame on his predecessor for inheriting an economy in “freefall” and mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic.

He showcased his administration’s achievements in curbing costs, notably the successful effort to lower insulin prices, as a testament to his commitment to alleviating economic burdens.

Trump rebutted, erroneously claiming that the United States experienced its greatest economic era under his leadership and attributing high inflation to President Biden’s policies.

However, this assertion is contradicted by factual evidence, as economic growth during Trump’s presidency trailed behind that of other administrations, notably Bill Clinton’s.

Trump further spreads misinformation by falsely stating that Biden only created jobs for undocumented immigrants and short-term positions related to post-pandemic recovery.

Trump defended his controversial plan to impose a 10% tariff on all imported goods, downplaying concerns that it would lead to higher prices, despite widespread disagreement from economists.

He lambasted President Biden’s economic agenda, painting a dire picture of the United States’ economic decline, likening it to a “third-world nation.”

Trump also touted his own tax cuts as a triumph, claiming they fueled unprecedented economic growth and asserting that the country’s global standing has suffered under Biden’s leadership, losing respect on the world stage.

Trump voiced support for the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld access to the abortion medication mifepristone, clarifying that he would not interfere with its availability.

While highlighting his successful appointment of three conservative justices who voted to overturn Roe V. Wade, effectively delegating abortion decisions to individual states, Trump emphasized his backing of exceptions for cases involving rape, incest, and life-threatening circumstances for the mother.

He expressed confidence in states’ ability to navigate and settle the issue.

Biden dismissed as ‘ridiculous’ Trump’s assertion that ‘everybody’ opposed Roe v. Wade, pointing out that the landmark Supreme Court decision actually enjoyed widespread support among constitutional scholars, highlighting the importance of upholding reproductive rights and judicial precedent.

Biden encountered difficulties in the early stages of the debate, confusing Medicare and Medicaid and struggling to recall tax rate statistics for high-income earners.

Despite attempts to emphasize key priorities like childcare and healthcare funding, he faced challenges in clearly conveying his message.

Trump capitalized on Biden’s struggles, ridiculing his opponent’s performance with a sarcastic remark: ‘He really beat Medicaid; he killed it!.

Trump lambasted Biden for allegedly allowing undocumented immigrants, including criminals and terrorists, to enter the country unchecked.

Trump boasted that during his tenure, the U.S. had achieved the ‘safest border in history’, accusing Biden of recklessly opening the borders to dangerous individuals.

Biden countered these claims, pointing out that only a single terrorist incident occurred during Trump’s presidency. He dismissed Trump’s assertions as baseless exaggerations, lacking concrete evidence to support them.

When questioned about the possibility of another violent incident like the January 6th Capitol attack, Trump sidestepped the issue by highlighting his administration’s accomplishments and claiming that the United States enjoyed global respect during his presidency.

He maintained that he had explicitly urged his supporters to remain peaceful on January 6th and shifted blame to Nancy Pelosi, the former House Speaker.

Moderator Jake Tapper pressed Trump to address the concerns of voters who fear a repeat of the violent insurrection that occurred on January 6th, 2021.

Trump said: “Well, I don’t think too many believe that, and let me tell you about Jan. 6.

He said, “On Jan. 6, we had a great border. Nobody is coming through—very few. On Jan. 6, we were energy independent. On Jan. 6, we had the lowest taxes ever. We had the lowest regulations ever. On Jan. 6, we were respected all over the world. All over the world, we were respected. And then he comes in, and we’re now laughed at. We’re like a bunch of stupid people.”

In a heated exchange, the debate devolved into a personal attack, with both candidates labeling each other as the worst president in U.S. history.

When asked about childcare policy, Trump sidestepped the issue and instead launched a personal attack, declaring, ‘He’s the worst president, the worst in the history of our country.

Biden refuted Trump’s claim, pointing to a recent survey of political scientists that conclusively ranked Trump as the worst president in U.S. history.

Biden confidently stated, ‘That’s a fact.’ When given another opportunity to address childcare policy, Trump shifted the focus back to himself, promising, ‘If I’m re-elected for another four years, I’ll be the best president.

In response to concerns about his age, 81-year-old Biden pointed out that he was once one of the youngest senators, sworn in at the age of 30.

He cleverly turned the attention to his opponent, saying, ‘My opponent is three years younger but significantly less competent,’ and proceeded to tout his achievements in creating jobs and attracting businesses back to the United States, showcasing his enduring energy and capability.

When faced with concerns about his age and fitness for office, 78-year-old Donald Trump, who would be 82 by the end of a potential second term, countered by pointing to his impressive cognitive test scores and recent triumphs on the golf course as tangible evidence of his robust health and mental acuity, effectively dismissing any doubts about his ability to lead.

When pressed about accepting the outcome of the election, Trump initially sidestepped the question but eventually conditioned his acceptance on the election being ‘fair, legal, and good.’

He persisted in spreading unfounded claims of widespread fraud from the 2020 election, despite the lack of concrete evidence to support these allegations and the consensus among experts that any irregularities did not impact the overall result.

Biden labeled Trump a ‘whiner’ for his persistent refusal to acknowledge the 2020 election outcome, emphasizing that no court has validated his claims.

Biden suggested that Trump’s inability to concede defeat stems from his inability to accept loss, saying, ‘the idea that if you lose again, you’ll accept anything? You just can’t stomach losing’.