Biden & Trump Clash In Historic Debate As Abortion Rights, Stormy Daniels Scandal, And More Take Center Stage
In a heated CNN debate, 81-year-old US President Biden and 78-year-old former president Trump clashed over abortion, immigration, and policy differences.
In a historic showdown on CNN Thursday night, US President Joe Biden, aged 81, and former president Donald Trump, 78, engaged in a heated debate that underscored their age disparity and sharp policy differences. The event marked the first-ever debate between a sitting president and a former president, setting a contentious tone as they sparred over key issues including abortion, immigration, and foreign policy.
"Biden's struggles with hoarseness and occasional speech lapses were evident throughout the 90-minute exchange," remarked Trump, who seized moments to question Biden's record on border security, as per CNN's report. At one juncture, Trump pointedly remarked, "I really don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don't think he knows what he said, either."
Trump also repeated his unfound allegations of election fraud while saying that he’d accept the results of the 2024 election if it’s “fair and legal”. “You’re a whiner, and you lost the first time,” Biden said.
The debate, moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, highlighted Biden's challenges with vocal delivery and coherence, raising concerns among Democratic circles about his ability to effectively confront Trump's relentless attacks. "I've never heard so much malarkey in my life," Biden shot back during a particularly heated exchange, as quoted by the report.
"Every single thing he's said is a lie. Every single one," Biden insisted at one point, aiming to undercut Trump's assertions.
CNN reported sources close to Biden as revealing that he had been battling a cold in recent days, potentially impacting his performance.
Biden's attempts to steer the debate towards Trump's controversial past, including criminal convictions and allegations involving porn star Stormy Daniels, veered into acrimonious exchanges. The US President accused his predecessor of having sex with Stormy Daniels while Trump’s wife was pregnant.
“I didn’t have sex with a porn star,” Trump said.
Trump Vs Biden On Abortion Rights, Immigration
Key topics such as abortion and immigration saw both candidates clashing vehemently, with Biden faltering on articulating Democratic positions clearly. Despite efforts to portray Trump's policies as detrimental, Biden's responses often lacked the clarity and forcefulness needed to sway undecided voters, as per the report.
“The Supreme Court just approved the abortion pill, and I agree with their decision to have done that and I will not block it,” Trump said backing the ruling.
Trump reiterated that abortion regulation should be left to the states, and went on to repeat his false claim that “every legal scholar” wanted to end federal abortion protections. He remarked that he supports exceptions for rape, incest and to protect the life of the mother.
“It’s been a great thing,” Trump said of abortion returning to the states.
“It’s been a terrible thing,” Biden remarked, as per CNN. “The fact is that the vast majority of constitutional scholars supported Roe when it was decided.”
Notably, Trump failed to directly answer a question about if his proposed severe immigration crackdown would include deporting those who have been in the United States for decades, those with jobs, and those whose spouses are US citizens.
“We’re living right now in a rat’s nest. They’re killing our people,” Trump said, pivoting to attack Biden. “They’re killing our citizens at a level we’ve never seen before.”
Biden, on the other hand, looked to emphasise that illegal border crossings had dropped recently, remarking: “Every single thing he (Trump) said was a lie.”
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Trump Vs Biden On Inflation Affection Black And Latino Communities
In a bid to woo Black and Latino voters, Trump hit out at Biden on inflation.
“He caused the inflation, and it’s killing Black families, and it’s killing Hispanic families and just about everybody... The fact is that his big kill on the Black people is the millions of people that he's allowed to come in through the border. They're taking Black jobs now," Trump claimed during a discussion on Black voters and inflation, challenging Biden's policies directly.
Meanwhile, Biden said, “I don’t blame them for being disappointed, inflation is still hurting them badly.” He added, “There’s more to be done, considerably more to be done, but we’ve gone a great deal so far, and I’m not letting up and they know it.”
The debate's aftermath leaves Biden's campaign facing renewed scrutiny over his physical stamina and rhetorical precision, casting doubts on his readiness for a demanding reelection bid. With another debate scheduled for September 10, hosted by ABC, Biden's team faces mounting pressure to recalibrate their strategy and address lingering doubts among voters.
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