ATLANTA, GEORGIA—On Thursday, June 27, CNN hosted the first 2024 U.S. Presidential Debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, beginning at 6:00 p.m. (PST). The debate is being held at the CNN Atlanta Studio in the battleground state of Georgia with no live audience. CNN moderators will be Jake Trapper and Dana Bash.
This debate marks the earliest U.S. Presidential debate in U.S. history.
Each presidential contender will be prompted with a question by a moderator and allowed two minutes to respond. There will be an additional minute allowed for rebuttal, and the microphones will be muted until it is his time to speak. There will be two commercial breaks.
The four key issues that are to be covered in this debate include the economy, immigration, abortion, and foreign policy.
President Biden the economy slowed, and prices are high. What would you say to the voter who says they were better off under President Trump? Biden spoke on growing up in Pennsylvania with little on the table.
Switching topics, he then reported that Trump had the highest national deficit the country has ever had and then reported how Trump could have lowered the deficit in his term.
Trump responded saying, “We had the best economy there ever was and then COVID hit. and we went into a depression. In the end, our stock market was higher than before COVID.”
Tapper asked for an answer from Biden regarding the flood of immigrants coming over the U.S. border. Biden spoke briefly on three deaths President Trump was responsible for during his tenure as President. Trump agreed with Biden, admitting he took down the terrorist leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
On October 17, 2019, then President Trump and the U.S. Department of Defense announced the death of the terrorist.
Biden’s retort was to regurgitate a statement that has been repeatedly misquoted by Biden stating that Trump, while visiting a National Cemetary called the fallen soldiers, “Suckers and losers,” and referring to his now deceased son, Biden said, “My son is not a sucker or a loser.”
Trump defended himself saying he was so glad he [Biden]brought that up. The former President then denied ever saying that “and no one else ever heard me say that, why would anyone do that?” Trump asked.
Trump went on to call Biden “The worst President of all time.” Trump recalled the way the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan was planned to go smoothly at the end of his Presidency. He criticized Biden for his tactics and for leaving Americans behind, saying Biden was an embarrassment to the country.
Regarding the abortion pill being legalized in the state of Idaho. When asked if he would support that, Trump answered that he would continue to support the states making their own decisions. Trump then admitted to believing in the exceptions of rape, incest, and the health of the mother.
Biden chastised Trump for turning abortion over to the states and for Trump’s telling of immigrants coming to our country and raping women. Biden got his time out after admitting, “I’m for Roe v. Wade in all phases of pregnancy.”
Trump admonished Biden. It’s the only time in the debate that Trump got loud. He pointed his finger and said, “So that means that he can take the baby at nine months or even after the baby is born, rip the baby out of the womb.”
Biden then told Trump that was not true under Roe v. Wade, late-term abortions are not included [sic]. Trump tried to explain the verbiage of Roe v. Wade does allow late-term abortions. Biden kept a confused expression on his face.
The original case of Roe v. Wade [January 22, 1973] allows abortion on demand at any time during pregnancy for any reason.
Tapper asked Biden, “What would you say to the American people about the flood of immigrants coming over the southern border?
Tapper asked for a response from former President Trump regarding the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Trump answered quoting former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi in an interview from two days ago when she reportedly admitted that it was her responsibility.
Trump said “I was all set to bring in the National Guard. I offered to bring in the troops to protect the U.S. Capitol and she (Nancy Pelosi) said no.”
Biden’s rebuttal was to fully blame Trump for what happened on January 6. He indicated that Trump would free those jailed for their part in the January 6 riots. Biden then spoke on Trump being a convicted felon.
Trump answered that Biden’s son, Hunter was a felon, and could be convicted very soon. He (President Biden) could be a convicted felon for all the terrible things he’s done as soon as he leaves office.
Biden argued and said that “everything Trump said was a lie.” Biden then accused Trump of molesting a woman and having sex with a porn star.
Trump responded with facts and denied Biden’s claim saying that he “did not have sex with a porn star.”
When Dana Bash pointed out how the poor conditions and lack of progress for Black Americans, she asked what Biden had to say to these Black voters. Biden spoke of all that he is doing for Black families.
Trump rebutted that “he (Biden) caused the inflation” that affected the Black and Hispanic communities. Then Trump indicated that what Biden was doing at the border was negatively impacting the Black community by giving their jobs to immigrants.
Biden claimed that Trump’s economy was, “flat on its back when I took office,” and “unemployment was at 50 percent and inflation was at 9%.”
Trump rebutted speaking of how close Biden had said he was to the police. “Most police in every city in this country support me,” Trump stated.
By this time, Biden was becoming increasingly harder to understand. He was hoarse from the onset of the debate. The mumbling and short bursts of confusion increased as the debate went on. At one point Trump told the hosts, “I don’t know what he just said, and I don’t think he does either.”
When asked about climate change, Biden said he was getting the cost of insulin and prescription drugs down. Trump corrected Biden saying, “I’m the one that reduced the insulin cost.”
Social Security was the next topic given to Biden to name one specific step he could use to ensure Social Security is there for Americans in the future.
Biden answered, “Yes make the wealthy pay their fair share. The wealthy pay one percent. I would increase that from one percent. He then said that Trump wanted to cut both Social Security and Medicare. Biden then started talking about education for Blacks and increasing the number of Pell grants.”
Trump’s response to the question of social security was to say that “Everything Biden says is a lie, but social security, he’s destroying it.” Trump then spoke of Biden giving social security benefits to immigrants pouring into our country.
In his rebuttal, Biden referred back to the “Suckers and Losers,” comment again claiming that a nearby General lost his job over that.
Trump clarified the firing of the aforementioned General saying he was fired because “He wasn’t doing his job.” Trump then reiterated that he did not make the suckers and loser’s comment. “19 people, way more respected than him, never heard me say that.” Trump then criticized Biden, saying that, Biden “Never fires anyone.”
Trump and Biden both called one another the worst President of all time. Trump spoke of Biden raising taxes by four times. Biden then criticized Trump for wanting to cut taxes.
Trump made sure the public knew that “Biden now has the largest deficit.”
Tapper wanted to know what would be done under Trump to help those suffering from addiction to which Trump responded that initially, his Administration was doing well with that until COVID hit. They had hired dogs to detect drugs… Biden answered as well speaking of machinery they had to detect drugs.
Biden was asked, at age 86, what do you say about concerns of your age? Biden answered by reminding the people that he spent half his life in politics being the youngest, and then said, ‘Well look at what I have done” and “This idea that we are this failing country. I’ve never heard a President talk like this before…”
Trump, at 82, what would you say about concerns about your age, the host asked.
“I took two cognitive tests and aced them. I’m in good shape,” Trump responded. He then told of a recent win in a golf championship chiding Biden, by saying “he couldn’t hit a ball 50 yards.” Biden and Trump argued about golf for a brief moment.
Answering the question from Dana Bash, would he contest the next election to which Trump answered as long as it was fair he wouldn’t. He then said, “I wish he was a good President because if he was, I wouldn’t be here.” Trump then indicated that he wouldn’t have been indicted if Biden was a good President. Trump concluded that he was only indicted because he is Biden’s political opponent.
Again, Bash asked if Trump would accept the outcome of the election regardless of its outcome. Trump’s response, if it’s a fair and honest election.
Biden then called Trump, “A whiner.”
Closing statements began with Biden speaking first of the progress he made after inheriting such “a debacle.” Biden then said, “Any person making under $400,000 a year didn’t pay one dollar, and I make that promise again.”
Trump’s closing remarks were to say that Biden was a complainer. “He talks of all he would do, and he’s had three and a half years and he didn’t do it.”
“What we did is to rebuild the military. A choice of medical care for Veterans. We’re a failing nation, but we’re not going to be failing anymore. We are going to make America Great Again,” Trump stated.
