A presidential debate marked by animosity

(Atlanta) Donald Trump chaining false assertions with aplomb, Joe Biden offensive in substance, but very confused in form: the two American presidential candidates clashed over inflation, immigration or Ukraine during their first debate Thursday.

“Inflation is killing our country,” said the 78-year-old former Republican president from the outset, extremely comfortable, repeating an argument that he knows resonates with Americans, and assuring that his rival was doing “bad work”, despite robust growth and healthy employment.

The 81-year-old Democrat, whose voice often sounded hoarse in front of the cameras of CNN, the channel hosting the debate, attacked a subject that he knows is delicate for the billionaire, criticizing him for his “terrible” action against the right to abortion.

He also accused Donald Trump of “lying” by claiming that illegal immigration was causing crime to soar, before moving on to more personal ground.

The Democrat recalled that his opponent was a “repeat criminal”, after having been found guilty in a case of concealed payments to a former porn actress, and judged that he had the “moral sense of a depraved person”, repeatedly calling him a “crybaby”.

“I did nothing wrong,” replied the former president, who is charged in several other cases, claiming that the justice system was “rigged.”

The Republican, who never conceded defeat in 2020, did not commit to unconditionally recognizing the verdict of the polls in November, assuring that he would accept it if the election was “fair and equitable”.

Donald Trump, without going as far as the insults he peppers his campaign speeches with, said that his rival was “not cut out” to be president, and presented him as a weak leader.

“He has become like a Palestinian, but they don’t like him because he is a very bad Palestinian. A weak (Palestinian), launched the Republican, in reference to Joe Biden’s policy in the face of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The war in Ukraine would never have happened if the United States had a “leader,” he also assured.

Polarisation

Donald Trump has challenged Joe Biden to a “cognitive test”, boasting that he himself had taken two and “shone”, before boasting about his golfing skills as his rival smirked.

The former real estate developer multiplied the false assertions and exaggerations, without intervention from the two CNN journalists hosting the evening.

The latter, in addition to asking questions, essentially ensured that everyone’s speaking time was respected, cutting off the microphone as soon as it was up, which prevented untimely interruptions.

The two men, who frankly hate each other, did not shake hands when they arrived on the CNN set in Atlanta. According to a reporter briefly admitted to the set, they did not exchange a glance during the first commercial break.

The debate, barring surprises, should not move the lines much, in a country where political polarization is extreme.

But the stakes are no less enormous: if one of the two candidates manages to attract a few independent voters, that could be enough to give them the advantage in November, as the election promises to be so close.

For this, Joe Biden must in particular reassure about his vitality and his health, and in this regard, his performance on Thursday is likely to be seen as a missed opportunity, even if he gained in ease over the course of the debate.

“I don’t understand a word he’s saying, isn’t that sad?” said Hazel Reitz, 55, attending a screening of the Republican debate in San Francisco. She will nonetheless vote for the Democrat in November.