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Let’s face it: Debates ordinarily don’t matter in determining who wins a presidential election. There’s a huge amount of pre-event hype, a ho-hum exchange of pre-scripted soundbites, and it’s forgotten as soon as the moderator says, “Goodnight.”
True, Kennedy-Nixon in 1960 and Carter-Reagan in 1980 were crucial to the outcomes of those elections. However, they were the exceptions to the rule. Remember Clinton-Dole? Bush-Kerry? Obama-Romney? Neither do we.
But this week’s Biden-Trump sequel is no ordinary debate. Any way you look at it, this is one for the history books. As this news site has previously reported:
- Two presidents have never debated before.
- There’s never been a presidential debate before the national conventions.
- There’s never been a presidential debate been held before Labor Day.
- There haven’t been back-to-back Democratic and Republican candidates since 1956.
- There’s never been two pending nominees this advanced in years.
- Never have two candidates who are so unpopular squared off against each other.
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Perhaps most important of all – in a race that’s paper-thin close – there’s literally no margin for error. Remember: Though they have secured the delegates needed to win their respective nominations, Joe Biden and Donald Trump won’t be officially coronated until their respective party’s conventions in July and August. A catastrophic performance now could spell serious trouble then.
With all that in mind, here are some important things to watch for during tonight’s debate …
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THE RUST FACTOR
Trump declined to debate any of his Republican rivals during the primary season. Likewise, Biden declined offers to debate his token Democratic opposition. Thus, neither has debated since they last faced each other on October 22, 2020. Crawling back into the ring after a 3.5-year layoff, will each candidate be punching below his weight?
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SENIOR-ITIS?
Biden’s cognitive decline is apparent. And there’s been increased attention of late on Trump’s mental lapses when speaking as well. Neither can afford a “McConnell Moment” of gazing blankly at the TV camera when the words don’t come. Will their advanced age be on display in that Atlanta studio?
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CONVICTED
Democrats went for it, they got it, and now they’re relentlessly attacking Trump with it. But while saying “convicted felon” over and over may work well in 30-second commercials, how often do Americans want to hear it repeated over 90 minutes, especially when they’re struggling with painfully high inflation and energy prices?
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MODERATION?
Team Trump has been howling all week that Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are not impartial journalists. The CNN duo will either prove or disprove it by their performance Thursday night. Will they play it right down the middle, or will it be 3-to-1 ganging up on the former president?
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STAMINA
At ages 81 and 78, respectively, Biden and Trump aren’t spring chickens. An hour and a half on your feet can be a lot – even for some folks in the prime of life. Will fatigue be a factor?
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BOMBSHELLS?
Trump has said he’s decided on his 2024 running mate – and that person will be among the bevy of guests he brings with him to the debate. Will he take it a step further and reveal his choice in his opening remarks? That would be a political bombshell that would – regardless of what else happens – dominate debate news coverage over the next 24 hours. Will he go for it?
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
Let’s face it: These two just plain don’t like each other. And when they get revved up, it’s hard for each to disengage his mouth. Will the moderators cut them off in mid-sentence and enforce the agreed-upon no open mics rule? And if they do, will Biden and/ or Trump keep talking anyway?
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WHICH JOE BIDEN SHOWS?
Think back to March 7, 2024. Americans watched Joe Biden bounce in the U.S. House chamber like an over-the-road trucker hopped up on Red Bulls. People all around the country were asking, “What’s this guy on?” (There was so much speculation Biden had been injected beforehand with some sort of vitamin concoction that Trump is offering to do a pre-debate drug screening – seriously.) Being energized is one thing — coming off with the energy of a carnival barker is another. Biden needs to find the sweet spot between the two. Can he?
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DISCIPLINED DONALD?
Trump has been remarkably close to staying on message recently. By Trump standards, anyway. Sure, there are still the tangents and mental meanderings that his MAGA supporters love (and other backers overlook). But he won’t be talking to a Trump rally tonight. Also, Trump has demonstrated over the years that he has no problem baring his claws when attacked. But does he risk too much by drawing Biden blood this time?
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RATINGS BUMP?
Polling would indicate the Biden-Trump race is tight. Ratings for the debate will reveal much more. Specifically, just how closely are Americans following a contest in which many say they can’t stand either candidate?
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ROUND TWO?
Sure, it’s already booked for Tuesday, September 10, 2024 (on ABC News). But a host of things could arise between now and then that could derail that second encounter. Either candidate could suffer a serious stumble Thursday night, making the risk of a second gaffe close to Election Day just too great to take. Or, as noted earlier, there could be a revolt at either convention and a different candidate would send negotiations back to square one. Either way, Biden and Trump should skip saying “See you in September” when they each exit the stage Thursday night, just to be safe.
BANNER VIA: GETTY IMAGES
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
J. Mark Powell is an award-winning former TV journalist, government communications veteran, and a political consultant. He is also an author and an avid Civil War enthusiast. Got a tip or a story idea for Mark? Email him at mark@fitsnews.com.
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12 comments
“Let’s face it: Debates ordinarily don’t matter in determining who wins a presidential election.”
Hot take. Tell that to Dick Nixon in 1960.
“Biden’s cognitive decline is apparent.”
How apparent is it outside of the cheapfakesphere? Trump called him “Joe Bride” recently, other times thought he was running against Obama, ranted crazily about boat batteries and sharks, thought there were airports during the revolutionary war, and that’s just scratching the surface.
But it won’t matter. If Biden does well this blahg as well as the rest of the conspiracy addled media will claim he was doped up or had someone feeding him lines through an earpiece. If Trump tanks they will blame the moderators and he will play the martyr.
Hasn’t everyone had enough of this whiny tosser?
Trump is doing the exact same things he did before debates in 2016 & 2020.
His opponent has to take a drug test (Hillary)
The moderators are biased (2016 & 2020)
Everything is rigged
Trump’s opponents got millions of more votes than Trump in 2016 & 2020. A vast majority of American voters know trump is a fraud and that number has only grown in the last four years.
This debate is only for CNN’s ratings. That and for exposing Trump’s inability to convey a coherent thought on any subject.
Friendly reminder that the king of cognitive decline, ol’ Jellybean Ray Gun himself, is on quite the pedestal for most Republicans.
For a diehard MAGA blog, FitsNews sure doesn’t spend any time actually listening to Trump speak.
The guy can’t make a coherent point, while continually calling people the wrong names and forgetting who he’s running against or making up bizarre words that don’t exist. Trump could not stay awake in court and had to be continually prodded by his lawyers and given material to look at to help keep him stimulated.
The media has given Trump the biggest pass in history when ignoring his obvious mental issues and stupidity. Probably why Biden’s team successfully goaded Trump into accepting the debate. Trump can’t hide his ineptitude tonight.
Look for the receiver antenna sticking out of Biden’s ear.
Look for the brown streak running down Biden’s pant leg.
Look to see if Biden’s pupils are blown out from the drug cocktail given to keep him lucid for 90 minutes.
Will Biden call Trump a dog-faced pony boy?
Count how many times Biden brings up dead Beau.
What historical event will we hear Biden’s ancestor’s participate in? Custer’s Last Stand, Gettysburg Address, Reserection of Christ…
You must be embarrassed, that’s the guy your guy lost to once already.
Not as embarrassed as Democrats are now after the debate is over. Holy shit that was a blood bath and I believe Trump was holding back. Will there be a second debate? Not a chance. Biden couldn’t even get through his closing response which was prepared and practiced.
After tonight’s performance, am I the one who needs to be embarrassed?
lol
Bless your heart.
Now, describe how the old elderly guy, with obvious dementia who shits his pants while being unable to string a sentence together that makes sense, is somehow better or more qualified…..being that he’s also been found by multiple juries of being a rapist, life long financial fraud and tax cheat and felon?
How many of those Trump bibles did you purchase?
Me thinks all of us watching are somewhere between wanting something original or at the very least a hockey fight, with sticks. Never seen so much blood in the water. Meanwhile the entities that actually run the country don’t really give a shit either way.
What to watch for?
Trump filling his diaper while his pants are on fire from all the lies those poor fact checkers will be dealing with.
President Trump!