Donald Trump chained lies with astonishing confidence and put a hesitant Joe Biden in trouble on Thursday, who resorted to personal attacks against his rival, in the first debate for the November elections that revolved around migration and inflation.
At CNN’s headquarters in Atlanta (east), where the debate was held, the Democrat spoke without enthusiasm in front of a Donald Trump who imposed his grandiloquent style and told falsehoods without being corrected by the network’s reporters.
“Inflation is killing our country,” said the 78-year-old Republican former president, despite the strength of the economy and employment.
The tycoon was in a hurry to address the migration and tried to take advantage even before the moderators touched on the topic.
He asked Biden “why he allowed millions of people” to come into the country “from prisons, jails and mental institutions” to “destroy it.”
– “He is lying” –
“There is no data to support what he said. Once again he is exaggerating. He is lying,” the Democrat responded.
He also accused Trump of “lying” for claiming that illegal immigration was causing an increase in crime and described the role played by the Republican as “terrible” after he boasted of having appointed Supreme Court justices who contributed to annul the constitutional right to abortion.
In the tense debate, the Democrat personally attacked his rival, using aggressive language that the public is not used to.
“How many billions of dollars do you owe for molesting a woman in public… for having sex with a porn star while your wife was pregnant? What are you talking about? You have the morals of a depraved person,” he told her.
Biden recalled that his opponent was a “convicted felon” after being found guilty in a case of hidden payments to a former porn actress.
“I did nothing wrong,” responded the former president, who has been accused in other cases and who repeated the refrain that the judicial system was “rigged.”
He was not far behind in personal attacks either, although without resorting to his usual outbursts.
“I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either,” Trump said sarcastically.
Although he is only three years younger than the Democrat, Trump took the opportunity to attack him for his age, one of his handicaps for re-election, and challenged him to undergo a “cognitive test”, even if it was “very easy, like answering the first five questions.” “, said.
This was the first face to face between these two men who despise each other since the last election campaign, in 2020.
The Republican has never admitted defeat in those elections and on Thursday he stopped short of committing to unconditionally recognizing the verdict of the November ballot unless it is a “fair and legal election,” although he said any act of violence would be “totally unacceptable.”
– “We did it right” –
Trump described Biden as a “weak” man to be president.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine would never have happened “if we had a leader,” he said, and he was highly critical of the billions of dollars spent by the United States to help Kiev in the conflict against Moscow.
He also accused his opponent of siding with the Palestinians in Israel’s war against the Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, despite Washington’s support for the Israelis.
The feeling is that Trump won the debate but not because of his merits, but rather because of his rival’s demerits.
Even Vice President Kamala Harris acknowledged that Biden had “a slow start, that’s obvious to everyone, I don’t dispute that.”
“It was disappointing, there’s no other way to put it,” acknowledged Kate Bedingfield, former White House communications director.
“It was without a doubt a disaster,” political scientist Larry Sabato told AFP.
The president defended himself after the debate and assured that he came out with flying colors.
“I think we did well,” Biden told reporters, insisting that it’s “tough to debate a liar.”
Republican Nikki Haley, Trump’s former primary rival whose votes both candidates are seeking, went so far as to suggest that Biden is not going to be “the Democratic nominee in the election,” and urged Republicans to “stay on their guard.”
This scenario is unlikely and he will most likely be nominated by his party at the August convention.
Biden’s speech marks a turning point in a campaign that has been very close until now, with polls fairly even.
erl-aue/dga
THE NATION
