The first 2024 presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has triggered a whirlwind of reactions from major American media outlets, each highlighting different aspects of the event.
From Trump’s claim that Biden’s open border policy let “terrorists” a free foot to enter the country to Biden’s claim that he changed the illegal border crossing.
Biden-Trump’s CNN Presidential debate through American media’s lens
The New York Times focused on President Biden’s physical condition, describing his performance as “raspy” and noting a “meltdown in prime time.”
The NYT article started with “From the very first question, President Biden’s voice was a muted rasp.” The media giant then explored how, Biden’s raspy voice and frequent coughing raised concerns about his health and capability. He struggled with coherence, often losing his train of thought, and seemed unable to deliver a strong message, despite days of preparation. Whereas, Trump’s messages, though factually incorrect, were clear and forceful. The article concluded that Biden’s performance could harm his campaign, as he appeared less confident and more prone to mistakes compared to previous debates.
On the other hand, USA Today headlines screamed “Democratic panic” and expressed alarm among Biden supporters.
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The paper points out the democratic cry. The American daily discusses widespread Democratic concern following President Joe Biden’s poor performance in a debate against Donald Trump. Biden struggled with a hoarse voice, incoherence, and weak responses, leading some Democrats to suggest he should step aside for another candidate. Notable figures like Van Jones and anonymous lawmakers voiced doubts about Biden’s ability to continue, while others, including Vice President Kamala Harris and California Governor Gavin Newsom, defended him. The debate highlighted Biden’s challenges and reignited discussions about his candidacy for the 2024 election.
NBC highlights a broader perspective, noting Biden’s “shaky performance” and Trump’s evasiveness regarding election results. Notably, Trump repeatedly slammed Biden’s open border policy.\
Trump slammed Biden’s open border policy, and US media tears through it
The former POTUS said, “He decided to open up our border, open up our country to people that are from prisons, people that are from mental institutions, insane asylums, terrorists. We have the largest number of terrorists coming into our country right now, all terrorists, all over the world, not just in South America, they come from the Middle East, everywhere.”
CNN provides a critical analysis of both candidates, pointing out Biden’s “poor showing” and Trump’s “repeated deflection.” The media giant also delivered a fact check to Bidne-Trump’s claim. They summarize the key takeaways from the first 2024 presidential debate between Biden and Trump.
Biden, apparently ill, delivered a lacklustre and garbled performance, failing to reassure voters about his fitness for office and making strategic errors. Trump, as expected, spread falsehoods and dodged tough questions. The debate highlighted stark contrasts between their visions for America, with Trump painting a bleak picture and Biden offering optimism.
A notable moment was when Biden criticized Trump’s morals, leading to a striking exchange when Biden calls out Trump for Allegedly “having sex with a pornstar” while Melania Trump was pregnant.
Fox News zeroes in on Biden’s halting start, describing it as “raspy” and faltering against Trump’s more aggressive approach. Their coverage boasted the headlines-“Raspy Biden gets off to a halting start against Trump in the first 2024 presidential debate.”