Presidential Debate

Will There Be a "Ruh-Roh" or "Rah-Rah" Debate?

I wanted to know how you felt about the debate. Hundreds of you replied, sharing your hopes and concerns.

On Thursday in Atlanta, CNN will host a discussion between President Biden and former President Donald Trump, on the left.

Hello, Laurie! Laurie Lowe is a reader of this newsletter and a Democrat from Florida. In addition to a backup plan in case things don't go as planned, she has a strategy for Thursday's presidential debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump.

I'm going to watch with my Democratic pals, but we're all afraid that Biden will have one of his "moments." We have Biden and Trump bingo cards to lighten the mood," Lowe wrote to me. "If things go wrong, bingo might become a drinking game instead."

I questioned everyone last week about their thoughts on the first general election discussion of 2024. I've read almost 600 of your responses. Additionally, as I mentioned in my earlier post today, I found out that a lot of you have developed severe discussion anguish, which I tried to characterize as more "ruh-roh" than "rah-rah."

Some of you were all smiles and voiced confidence that the president would make a powerful impression. Like Lowe and her friends, many of you, however, want Biden to succeed but are concerned he may make a mistake. Some expressed genuine dejection at the thought of seeing Trump on a debating platform once more. Many of you are considering tuning out completely because you are so tired of both men.

"After taking a quick glance, I wonder, is this it?" remarked Northville, Michigan Democrat Kyle Smith, who I spoke with over the phone yesterday afternoon. "This?"

Pennsylvania independent Nancy Davis said, "It's almost like watching a car crash." "It's impossible to look away."

There are years when the nation eagerly awaits the presidential debates as a chance for supporters of opposing parties to unite before a fight for the nation's destiny. That is why the level of fear this year is unique, especially among Biden supporters—even though it makes sense for an evening this unpredictable.

However, some Democratic strategists suggest that those modest expectations can be a gift.

"Every time the president is absent, he surpasses projections, and every time the president is absent, he comforts Democrats," pollster Celinda Lake, who is working on Biden's reelection campaign on behalf of herself alone, told me. "However, we possess the capacity to worry repeatedly."

A volatile matchup

Regarding presidential debates, Trump's record isn't exactly stellar. He towered over his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, in a 2016 exchange that many onlookers perceived as extremely misogynistic. His own frequent interruptions of Biden's remarks during their first debate in 2020 were widely viewed as detrimental. That election was later lost by him.

Despite Biden's track record of winning debates, his supporters are nevertheless concerned, particularly in light of the fact that Republicans are making every effort, including the use of deceptive video editing, to raise questions about his fitness due to his advanced age.

The Florida Democrat Alma Ramos-McDermott remarked, "I am dreading it because it reminds me of the Kennedy-Nixon debate." She pointed out that Trump and Biden are far younger than John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon were in their 1960 discussion.

"Biden will appear pale and quiet next to Trump's boisterous attitude," she worried, despite her concerns.

Democratic strategists such as Lake argue that Biden made a wise decision in insisting on an early debate, as it will allow him to reassure voters like as Ramos-McDermott that he is still capable of handling the situation as well as allow Trump to remind those who may have forgotten how volatile and abrasive he can be.

Lake wryly remarked, "God willing, Trump will be at his best." 

The thrilling sound... of quiet

During a Trump rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, my colleague Simon Levien spoke with a number of supporters who were confident in their candidate's victory, however one did provide some guidance.

Remaining composed and not overly agitated are Trump's main priorities, according to 44-year-old cancer researcher Brooke Christie.

Trump has taken steps to elevate expectations for Biden, maybe out of concern that by continuously criticizing his mental faculties, he has set the bar too low for his opponent. He mocked Biden for getting ready for the debate at the Philadelphia rally, but in doing so, he conceded that his rival is in fact studying.

According to Mr. Trump, "It's like death." This might be the least interesting, or it might be the most fascinating. Who knows?

thrilling? One thing in particular pleased many of the readers who wrote to me about how excited they were: the moderators will switch off the microphone for the candidate who isn't supposed to be speaking. 

As an independent voter from Buckhead, Georgia, Kurt Vogel, a former Republican, predicted that "silncing the mikes" would be fascinating.

Democrat from Michigan Ava Reynolds also stated that she was happy about one thing: the election is getting closer to being over.