How We Will Judge the Biden-Trump Debate
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The first debate of the 2024 general election for president is set for Thursday evening, to be hosted by CNN in Atlanta.Credit…Megan Varner/Reuters
To the Editor:
Donald Trump has a very low bar to meet in the presidential debate on Thursday in order to please Republicans. He needs only to take turns answering questions, not interrupt President Biden and not make offensive remarks. The more boring he is, the greater the victory that Republicans will claim.
There must be a great deal of anxiety among Mr. Biden and the moderators given how unpredictable Mr. Trump can be. Let’s face it, the muted microphone when the other person is speaking and the lack of an audience are intended to try to establish some limits on Mr. Trump’s behavior.
As far as policy issues go, Mr. Trump cannot get beyond talking points, and shifting ones at that, especially on abortion and contraception.
Mr. Trump has one strategy that will probably be on display before and after the debate: gamesmanship. He will complain that the rules were unfair, the moderators were hostile to him, the questions were rigged in Mr. Biden’s favor, the lack of an audience favored Mr. Biden, Mr. Biden was “jacked up” on a drug, etc.
Mr. Trump cannot help himself and will no doubt go off the rails at some point. And his willing sycophants will repeat his complaints. They are already doing so.
George Magakis Jr.
Norristown, Pa.
To the Editor:
Re “What to Look For at the Biden-Trump Debate,” by Frank Luntz (Opinion guest essay, June 25):
While Mr. Luntz offers an insightful analysis of how candidate performances will affect voters’ impressions, he does not mention the larger symbolic role the debate plays in American democracy. As the only forum showing the candidates standing side by side discussing issues in real time, unfiltered by the media or the candidates’ handlers, debates offer voters an important opportunity to judge how the candidates will handle the pressing problems that roil the country.
