This Thursday night, the debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will be the highest-stakes event of the 2024 presidential campaign, drawing over 70% of American voters. With both candidates holding historically high unfavorable ratings, many viewers are tuning in, not out of support, but to rage against their screens.
Voter Sentiment and Expectations
A recent Pew Research Center survey indicates that this year’s contest features the highest share of adults in at least three decades who have negative views of both candidates. These “hate-watchers,” primarily independents and those without favorable opinions of either candidate, represent a crucial group. Their decision could tip the scales in this closely contested election.
David Axelrod, former top strategist for Barack Obama, emphasized the debate’s significance: “It may be one of the more consequential in American history.” With polling showing that voters who dislike both candidates currently lean slightly toward Trump, but are more persuadable, the debate could be pivotal.
Key Issues and Voter Concerns
Polling by the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter reveals that voters distrust Trump’s temperament more than Biden’s age, despite trusting Trump more on most issues. This debate will also address third-party candidate supporters, with Biden and Trump seeking to sway those leaning towards Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein, and Cornel West.
The Debate’s High Stakes
Thursday’s debate marks the third between Biden and Trump, but it carries greater importance due to the larger share of undecided voters this year. With both candidates deeply unpopular, the debate serves as a platform for voters to reaffirm or reconsider their choices.
Biden’s advisers frame the debate as a crucial choice about democracy’s future, contrasting Biden’s vision of protected freedoms with Trump’s allegedly autocratic tendencies. However, expectations are generally low. Hillary Clinton noted that Trump’s bar is set so low that not “literally lighting himself on fire” would be considered a success, while Megyn Kelly suggested Biden only needs to “not die” to meet expectations.
Trump and Biden’s Debate Strategies
Trump’s frequent digressions and controversial remarks have set a low bar for his performance, while Republicans have cast Biden as too old and frail. Former Republican Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour noted that expectations for both candidates are possibly the lowest in modern debate history.
Despite these low expectations, the debate remains a critical opportunity for both candidates to sway undecided voters. Biden needs to prove his vitality, while Trump must focus on delivering a future-oriented message to win back moderate voters.
Conclusion
With the debate shaping up as a high-stakes spectacle, American voters are gearing up for a potentially transformative event. Both Biden and Trump have clear tasks to win over real voters, not just talking heads. The outcome of this debate could significantly influence the trajectory of the 2024 presidential race.
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