PHILADELPHIA — Teams Joe Biden and Donald Trump are counting on tonight’s first presidential debate to excite voters as the tight race for the top job begins to heat up.
Millions are expected to watch this rematch in Atlanta, where the current president and the former occupant of the Oval Office seek to showcase their respective policies, personal qualities and visions for the country.
But many people, like David Baldwin in Philadelphia, won’t listen to him. Mr. Baldwin says he knows Pennsylvania is a battleground state. He went to Trump in 2016 and came back to Biden in 2020 – both by narrow margins.
Nothing in the debate will change his vote for Biden, Mr. Baldwin said.
“The other guy only works for himself,” he said Thursday while walking down Market Street.
A debate that arouses little enthusiasm
The debate historically takes place at the start of a general election, and it’s unclear whether the exchange will pique the interest of Americans who aren’t already engaged, says Marc Trussler of the University of Pennsylvania.
“It’s very, very strange to have such a major campaign event so early in the cycle,” said Trussler, director of data science for the university’s Election Research and Studies program.
There seems to be less enthusiasm than in previous election years. There have been efforts from both parties in recent weeks, but it is not clear that these efforts will translate into votes.
Mr. Trussler reports that many people in Pennsylvania, as in much of the country, do not seem passionate about any of the candidates or what they are promising. He wonders if people will really pay attention to the debate and if it would reach unengaged voters.
Tolanda, who declined to use her last name, said she likes Biden but, more importantly, dislikes Trump. However, she is not interested enough to watch the debate.
“I just don’t want Donald Trump to win, that’s all,” the 51-year-old Philadelphian said.
Many Americans view both presidential candidates as dull and are simply less interested in the race for the White House. Democrats and Republicans are hoping the debate will spark a spark.
Predictions
At the same time, both leaders will have to answer the question of whether they are fit for the job.
Mr. Trump will likely be called to account over his recent conviction on 34 counts in a trial for falsifying documents to buy the silence of pornographic actress Stormy Daniels.
Mr. Biden, 81, could be criticized for his age and energy level, even though Mr. Trump, 78, regularly makes his share of puzzling verbal errors.
Mr Trussler expects Biden to try to demonstrate the strength of the economic recovery during his term, particularly compared to the performance of other countries.
Mr. Trump, for his part, will emphasize how inflation continues to hurt American families, Mr. Trussler said. The 45th president will also likely attempt to portray immigration to the United States as a source of societal woes.
Matthew Lebo, an expert on American politics and chair of the political science department at Western University in London, Ont., said he will be watching to see if either leader is able to deliver a compelling sentence that could be used in advertisements and on social networks.
“President Biden probably practiced many of these in his debate preparation,” Lebo said.
Mr. Trump will likely try to destabilize his opponent by interrupting him, he added.
Many Canadians will also be listening and watching for any policy promises that could affect relations with their largest trading partner.
Whoever wins the election will be in power during the looming review of the continental trade deal in 2026. In preparation, the Liberal government’s Team Canada has been hitting the streets south of the border to strengthen ties with the Trump and Biden.
