ATLANTA (NewsNation) — The first presidential debate of the 2024 election has come to a close, and political experts joined NewsNation to discuss the format, content and how the candidates stacked up against each other.
NewsNation hosts Dan Abrams and Elizabeth Vargas joined Chris Cuomo to discuss some of the hottest debate topics: Was President Joe Biden all there? Was former President Donald Trump different than his opponents believe? Will Thursday night’s debate make a difference?
A CNN flash poll of debate watchers found that 67% of those surveyed said Trump won the debate, compared to 33% who said Biden won.
Trump vs. Biden debate overview
During the CNN Presidential Debate, Biden and Trump traded barbs over the other’s policies, repeatedly calling the other “liar.”
Trump avoided questions about the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and accepting the outcome of the 2024 election should he lose, while Biden, hoarse with a cold, struggled to successfully take on Trump on questions about abortion and national debt.
Biden stumbled repeatedly throughout the debate, tripping over his words and sounding hoarse, reportedly from a cold.
Biden’s age ‘really showed’
“I think (the debate) could make a difference. I’m not sure it’s the difference that the Biden campaign wants it to make,” Vargas said.
Biden’s gravelly voice concerned some observers.
“He did not look sure-footed, he did not sound sure-footed. He did pick up a little bit of steam, of energy, later, especially when sparring with former President Trump,” Vargas said.
However, after the debate, Biden told reporters he thought he “did well.”
“It’s hard to debate a liar. The New York Times pointed out he lied 26 times,” he said, acknowledging he had a sore throat.
Former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner called Biden’s debate performance Democratic Party malpractice, while former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Biden’s performance was pathetic.
Even Georgia voters weren’t too impressed with Biden’s performance. One voter told NewsNation they were disappointed in both candidates but largely expected more from the incumbent president.
George Beazer, a Georgia UPS driver, said Friday morning that Biden’s age showed more than anything.
“I felt like Joe Biden’s performance wasn’t what I was expecting. He was very slow, incoherent, sleepy at times,” Beazer said. “His age really showed.”
However, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman came to Biden’s defense Friday morning, posting to social media that Biden has his full support.
“I refuse to join the Democratic vultures on Biden’s shoulder after the debate. No one knows more than me that a rough debate is not the sum total of the person and their record,” Fetterman said.
Peculiar debate format aided Trump
The peculiar format of the debate gave some pause.
“I think the format, which was mics to be cut and no audience, you know, didn’t suit Biden very well tonight,” Vargas said.
For Trump, however, the format was beneficial, as the former president was forced to refrain from interjecting or coming off as disruptive during the debate.
Body language expert Dr. Lillian Glass said Friday on “Morning in America” that Trump worked to maintain self-control and would smirk often when he disagreed with Biden to prevent himself from making outbursts like in previous debates.
“He was trying to contain himself. This was the most contained we’ve seen him,” Glass said. “And it worked. His body language matched what he was saying and he made sense.”
America needs better candidates: Voter
But for Abrams, the format was only one piece of the puzzle.
“I don’t think it was the format that became the issue here. There is no way to say that Joe Biden had a good night,” Abrams posited. “I think if anyone comes on after this debate and says that Joe Biden had a great night, that’s not a credible assessment.”
Abrams believes the debate was not a battle for Republicans or Democrats but for the undecided voters, but he said that neither shone enough to swing those voters.
Cuomo summarized the trio’s opinion: “If either of you performed the way either of them performed tonight, you’d be out of a job.”
“I think there should be better candidates,” Beazer said.
What about RFK Jr.?
In a livestream broadcast simultaneously with the Biden Trump debate, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also made his case to voters from a different location.
Kennedy answered the same questions given to both the president and former president, responding as if he was at the debate.
In his signature raspy low voice and wearing a black suit and tie, Kennedy largely stuck to the positions that he’s already made on several issues including on abortion rights, the economy and the border crisis.
The environmental lawyer blasted both Biden and Trump, on many occasions telling voters, “If you want more of the same for the next four years, vote for one of them.”
Regardless, the latest Hill/Decision Desk HQ poll shows him at a little more than 7%, well behind the major party presumptive nominees.
NewsNation political contributor Mick Mulvaney said he doesn’t believe Kennedy has a chance to become the next president, especially since he isn’t even on all the state ballots.