President Joe Biden began an intense period of private preparations last Friday at Camp David for what could be the most consequential presidential debate in decades.
Trump, 78, plans to remain on the campaign trail before traveling to his Florida estate next week for two days of private meetings as part of an informal preparation process.
He CNN debate will be full of news, with the potential to be key in the presidential race. Never before in the modern era have the two leading candidates met so early in the general election season. Never before have two candidates for the White House faced each other at such advanced ages, with widespread doubts about their status. And never before had a participant in a general election debate been convicted of a serious crime.
The debate stage meeting comes just two weeks before Trump is scheduled to be sentenced on 34 felony counts in his hush money trial in New York.
“You can argue that this will be the most important debate, at least in my lifetime,” said Democratic strategist Jim Messina, 54, who ran President Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.
The pressure on President Biden before the debate
The ground rules for the June 27 debate, the first of two scheduled, are quite unusual.
The candidates agreed to meet in a CNN studio in Atlanta without an audience. Each candidate’s microphone will be muted, except when it is their turn to speak. No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on stage. Candidates will only receive a pen, a notebook and a bottle of water.
There will be no opening statements. A coin toss determined that Biden would take his place at the podium to the viewer’s right, while Trump would deliver the closing statement.
The next debate will not be until September. So Any stumble on June 27 will be difficult to erase or replace quickly.
Biden arrived at Camp David on Thursday night and is expected to meet with his top campaign advisers until the debate. Upon leaving, he greeted journalists when they asked him how the preparation for the debate was going.
The president’s advisers have been reluctant to share details about his preparations, led by former chief of staff Ron Klain. But they have pointed out that He is preparing to be aggressive and would not shy away from using the term “convicted felon.” to describe your opponent.
An adviser who is not authorized to speak publicly about debate strategy said: Biden has been increasingly forceful in recent comments about Trump and plans to bring that issue to the debate. That’s while he tries to project himself as “the wise, firm leader” in contrast to Trump, the adviser said.
Among some political operators, there is a sense that Biden may have more to lose given his struggle to build momentum amid signs of weakness within his political coalition. However, Trump and his allies have set an extraordinarily low bar by suggesting for months that Biden faces serious limitations physical conditions that make it difficult for him to stand for 90 minutes or string two sentences together.
“It’s like the mirror test. Put a mirror under Biden’s nose, and if it fogs up, he wins, right? That’s roughly the threshold for Biden,” Republican strategist and Trump ally David Urban said with a laugh. “Can Biden show that he is mentally agile? That’s the big question,” he added.
However, Trump sought to change expectations in an interview Thursday with The All-In Podcast in which he departed markedly from his typical Biden mockery. He said Biden “destroyed” vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan in their 2012 debate.
“I assume it will be someone who will be a worthy debater,” Trump said of Biden. “I don’t want to underestimate him.”
Biden’s advisers have dismissed concerns about his age and mental preparation. They are fighting what they allege is misleading editing of video clips to suggest he is confused.
But while some Democrats project confidence, Biden’s allies also say he has spent much of the past two weeks traveling (through Europe and the U.S. West Coast), limiting his ability to prepare. Others point out that sitting presidents often have difficulties in the opening debate of the season’s general elections, due to scheduling issues.
Messina raised both points even as he sought to highlight the political risks for Trump. He suggested Trump was taking an unnecessary political risk by debating Biden, given Trump’s early lead in many polls.
“I wouldn’t have participated in the debate if I were him,” Messina said of Trump. “If you’re tied or a little bit ahead of the starter, why would you want to give him that air? He decided he wanted to do this to knock him out, and if he doesn’t do it, then I think he’s in real trouble.”
The confidence with which Trump arrives at the debate
Trump’s team sees the showdown as an opportunity to demonstrate a clear contrast to Biden’s leadership ability and governing record.
And although they downplay their preparations, Trump’s advisers have a habit of insisting that he doesn’t prepare for debates when, in fact, he does, in his own way. Instead of mock debates with lecterns and hours spent reading, the former president is expected to rely on a series of policy and strategy conversations with political advisers and allies.
Trump will also make public appearances in the coming days.
This Saturday he was at a rally in Philadelphia and at a conference of Christian conservatives in Washington. She also has a fundraiser in New Orleans on Monday before heading to her Florida residence for meetings.
“Biden needs rehearsals with those in charge to find some way to explain this mess he has made of our nation,” said Trump spokesman Brian Hughes. “President Trump is always willing to present to Americans his record of successes and Biden’s weaknesses and failures,” he said.
Biden’s camp is aware that Trump will likely focus on his son Hunter, as the then-president did on the debate stage four years ago. Hunter Biden was recently convicted of three felonies related to the purchase of a gun while he was allegedly addicted to drugs. Republicans have also criticized Hunter Biden’s foreign dealings when Joe Biden was vice president.
Biden’s allies are also concerned; However, his famous and combative rival could be on good behavior.
“For both campaigns, the goal here is to reach an audience of moderate, independent and undecided voters in swing states who, in many ways, will be the deciding factor in this election,” said former Biden administration official Bill Russo.
“Trump has a kind of golden opportunity here. “If he can pretend that he is a reasonable human being for 90 minutes while he is in the spotlight, he has a lot to gain,” Russo added. “The real key here is which Trump shows up,” she added.
Trump will be sentenced on July 11 after being found guilty of all charges in New York
