Washington – Although a large part of US voters reject the candidacies of Joe Biden and Donald Trump for the November elections, both will be the protagonists of the duel and on June 27 they will have the first presidential debate.
Nate Cohn, an opinion poll expert for The New York Times, said earlier this year that “voters are not happy about this upcoming election.”
Voters described themselves as frustrated, anxious, scared and dissatisfied with their candidate choices in a poll conducted by the influential New York newspaper and Siena College in late February.
For observers, interest in the current campaign has waned compared to previous cycles, judging by the primaries considered unattractive and which by March had already defined the sure nominees of the Democratic and Republican parties, which have historically alternated power in the White House every four years.
The president, who is seeking re-election, and his predecessor, who is determined to regain his seat in the Oval Office, will participate in the debate scheduled for prime time at 9:00 p.m. (local Eastern time).
A third candidate was vetoed. Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not meet the threshold required by organizers to occupy the podium.
Kennedy Jr. fell below 15 percent in four national polls and also does not appear on enough state ballots that would theoretically boost him to the magical number 270, the number of votes needed in the Electoral College to secure the presidency of the United States in an election. .
Some analysts believe that this debate will be a turning point in the electoral campaign depending on the possible performance of the two opponents who will debate on the stage of the CNN studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
One of the peculiarities of the news event is that, for the first time in decades, a single media organization will coordinate the debate, which will be broadcast simultaneously on almost all the main channels and on countless digital pages.
A recent survey of the audience indicated that at least 65 percent of registered voters planned to “watch all or most of the debate.”
Forecasters even anticipate that the index could be between 30 million and 70 million television viewers, although this figure would remain below Trump’s duel with Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016; It is a fact that the probability of watching the debate increases with age.
Around three quarters of adults over 60 agreed that they would sit in front of the TV on June 27; However, less than half of 18- to 29-year-olds said the same, according to a survey by NPR, PBS and Marist College.
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The first debate will take place well before the time when they are usually held. The Presidential Debates Commission, which has organized this type of events since 1988, does not appear on this occasion in the credits of the two deadlines (June 27 and September 10).
This breaks with the tradition of these meetings that, throughout history, have always taken place after the national conventions of both parties (in July and August), when the nominees for the presidential candidacy are officially announced.
It will also be the first debate in which both Biden and Trump will participate, since during the campaign stage the Democrat ran almost unopposed, while the Republican, true to his personality, said that his credentials were well known and he skipped all the face to face with those of his party who were seeking the nomination.
Calls to Trump for good behavior are heard from his own side of the aisle. What many describe as ‘the disastrous debate with Biden in 2020’ is still fresh memory.
The performance of the tycoon, who four years ago wanted to repeat another term against the then candidate Biden, is remembered for the constant interruptions, as well as for a phrase about the paramilitary and nationalist organization Proud Boys that sparked controversy.
At the time, when the moderator asked President Trump if he would condemn white supremacists and that group in particular, he replied: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand ready.”
His unhappy comment unleashed criticism, which forced him to take a step back: “I don’t know who the Proud Boys are,” he corrected. But evil was done.
That’s why John Thune, who is trying to be the next leader of the Senate Republicans, called for sanity. “Don’t take the bait,” he said, suggesting that “conduct is important, tone is important.”
If Trump “simply shows strength and leadership, but maintains a calm demeanor, he will do well,” he predicted.
“The main focus will be: Is Biden capable?” said Senator Lindsey Graham, one of the former president’s main allies in the Senate, referring to how his standard-bearer should present himself.
The Democrats have their message. The offensive line is seen in Trump’s history of legal problems.
A new announcement released here touches on the conviction against the former ruler in May in a New York court for 34 serious crimes related to the falsification of business records to hide the payment in 2016 to the porn actress Stormy Daniels, with whom he had an affair.
“This election is between a convicted criminal who only seeks to benefit himself and a president who fights for your family,” is the essence of an advertisement that is online and that Biden could present among his arguments on the night of June 27.
The topics discussed in the debate are often the most controversial of the moment. What will Biden and Trump talk about then, besides possible attacks and dirty laundry? The list will not lack the right to abortion, the danger to democracy, the migration crisis, the economy and inflation, and the wars in Ukraine and Israel in Gaza.
The contenders prepare for zero hour in Georgia. Van Jones, who at the time was an advisor to President Barack Obama (2009-2017), anticipated that, if Biden made a major mistake in front of the cameras, the future of his re-election campaign would be over. That, of course, is what Trump will bet on.
On November 5, American voters will once again see both on the ballot. It is anticipated that it will be an extremely close clash. Some polls show them almost tied, although there are forecast models that predict victory for the Republican.
