According to Donald Trump, Joe Biden is either a very accomplished or utterly incompetent debater. When details of the presidential debate, which takes place in Atlanta on Thursday, were announced last month, Trump Biden as “the WORST debater I have ever faced”, adding: “He can’t put two sentences together.” And yet, while speaking to the All-In podcast last week, Trump commended Biden’s showing in the 2012 vice-presidential debate.
“He destroyed ,” Trump said. “So I’m not underestimating him.” The flip-flop could be Trump’s belated effort to temper expectations of how he will perform against an incumbent president with extensive debating experience.
With four presidential campaigns and two terms as vice-president on his résumé, Biden is no stranger to the debate stage, and he has shown a sharp ability to deliver pointed attacks on his opponents. But as a sitting president who has reckoned with historically high inflation and multiple wars abroad since he took office, Biden goes into his next debate with a unique set of challenges that he must overcome to sell voters on re-electing him. Although Biden, 81, is only a few years older than Trump, 78, voters have expressed about the president’s age than his opponent’s, and he will be looking to address those fears at the debate.
These five memorable moments from Biden’s past debate performances offer some insight into the president’s strengths – and vulnerabilities: In 2024, Biden is the pres.
