PHOENIX — They shook hands at first, and from there, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump began blurring politics — and each other — in his first presidential debate in 2024 on Thursday night.
The personal animosity between the two men was palpable as they argued, sometimes in deeply personal terms, about abortion, the economy, age, the criminal convictions of Trump and Biden’s son, Hunter, and even their courage on the field. of golf.
Biden arrived with a hoarse voice and spoke softly, the result, according to his campaign, of a cold. Biden at times mumbled, became tongue-tied or lost his train of thought, a performance that is unlikely to calm anxiety among Democrats and many Americans about the 81-year-old president.
Trump, 78 years old, as he always does, spoke with strength, but with many falsehoods.
Some key moments from the 90-minute debate.
Trump and Biden clashed throughout the debate.
Trump twice cited Hunter Biden, who was convicted this month of three felony charges related to his 2018 purchase of a handgun while allegedly addicted to drugs. Trump, who last month became the first former president to be convicted of serious crimes, has labeled the president’s son a “convicted felon.”
Biden referenced Trump’s own criminal convictions, saying he had “sex with a porn star” while his wife was pregnant, which Trump denied. Biden also said Trump was found civilly responsible for “molesting a woman in public.”
Biden was referring to actress Stormy Daniels, who claims she had sex with Trump in 2006, an allegation that precipitated a hush-hush $130,000 payment weeks before the 2016 election, and writer E. Jean Carroll, who says Trump sexually abused her in a new film. York Department Store.
Biden’s claim that Melania Trump was pregnant during Trump’s alleged affair with Daniels was wrong. Barron Trump was born in March 2006. Daniels said he had sex with Trump in July 2006. The president may have confused Daniels with Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who claims she had a yearlong affair with Trump that coincided with his wife’s pregnancy. . Trump denies McDougal’s claims.
“You have the morals of a stray cat,” Biden accused.
After more than 80 minutes of debate, Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, were asked about their age and ability to serve until age 80.
Biden highlighted a series of political achievements and said Trump is “three years younger and much less competent.” Biden also used the response to criticize Trump for speaking negatively about the United States.
“The idea that we are some kind of failed country? I’ve never heard a president talk like that before,” Biden said.
In his rebuttal, Trump said he was in as good shape as he was 25 years ago and maybe “even a little lighter.” He said he “did well” on cognitive tests.
Although the men are not very different in age, more voters worry that Biden is too old.
About 6 in 10 U.S. adults say they are “very concerned” that Biden is too old to be president, according to Gallup data collected in June. Only 18% had the same level of concern about Trump.
With a hoarse voice, Biden was difficult to hear and understand from his first comments, and his verbal errors continued throughout.
Biden lost his train of thought when trying to defend the issue of tax rates and the number of billionaires in America. He stopped and looked down before mumbling about COVID-19 and saying something to the effect that “we finally beat Medicare.”
When he tried to come back to finish his argument, moderator Jake Tapper interrupted him because his time was up.
Trump quickly intervened: “He’s right, he beat Medicare. He beat him to death.”
During a response to a question about abortion, Biden mentioned, seemingly out of nowhere, a young girl who was recently murdered by an immigrant — an apparent reference to a 12-year-old Houston girl who was strangled to death, allegedly by two Venezuelans. men who entered the country illegally. The connection to abortion was unclear.
He also stumbled when delivering his prepared closing statement.
Trump lied about his role in the January 6, 2021 attack, carried out by his supporters at the US Capitol, and tried to deflect by turning to other issues.
Pressed about his role, he said he encouraged people to act “peacefully and patriotically,” then changed gears to launch an attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
He said Biden should “be ashamed” of the way the Jan. 6 defendants were treated.
Trump, who floated the idea of pardons for protesters, suggested that his supporters who stormed the Capitol were actually peaceful and are now being politically persecuted.
In fact, protesters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with police and used improvised weapons to attack officers. More than 1,400 people were charged with federal crimes stemming from the riot, and more than 1,000 of them pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.
“The only person on this stage who is a convicted felon is the man I’m looking at right now,” Biden said of his rival.
Trump was questioned three times, but never directly stated that he would accept the election results regardless of who won.
Trump repeatedly noted that he would accept the results “if it were a fair, legal, good election,” but would not give a yes or no answer.
Biden wasn’t buying it, saying, “I doubt you’ll take it; You’re a crybaby.”
Trump denounced political violence as “totally unacceptable” – even as he downplayed the conduct of those who rioted at the Capitol on January 6.
Biden blamed Trump for the erosion of abortion rights after the three Republican Supreme Court nominees voted to reverse Roe v. Wade. Wade, who had recognized a national constitutional right to abortion. The reversal energized many voters who support abortion rights and helped fuel Democratic victories in the 2022 midterm and special elections.
“It was terrible what you did,” Biden said, turning to his rival. He promised to restore the law under Roe if he had a second term, but did not say how he would do so. He said the idea of returning abortion laws to the states “is like saying we’re going to return civil rights to the states.”
Trump said his presidency has returned the issue of abortion to the people through state laws. He said he supports exceptions to the abortion ban for rape, incest and the life of the mother, and repeated his false claim that Biden supports abortion up to and after birth.
“We think the Democrats are the radicals, not the Republicans,” Trump said.
In between debating the country’s biggest issues, Biden and Trump also discussed his golf game.
Trump boasted that he had recently won two golf tournaments, “and not even the seniors, two regular club championships.” He said the feat requires the golfer to be “pretty smart” and able to hit the ball from long distance.
Biden said he would gladly take on Trump in a driving contest, boasting that he reduced his disability “to six” when he was vice president.
“I’m happy to play golf with you if you carry your own bag,” Biden told Trump. “Think you can do this?”
