Countdown to the first debate between Biden and Trump

The Republican will arrive Thursday in Atlanta, where the fight organized by CNN will take place, aboard his private plane nicknamed “Trump Force One.”

The nickname refers to the US presidential plane, Air Force One, which Joe Biden will use.

The latter wants to prepare until the last minute, and has not appeared in public since Friday. He has taken refuge in his residence at Camp David near Washington, where, according to CNN, he participates in mock debates during which his personal lawyer plays the role of Donald Trump.

Neither the 81-year-old Democrat, the oldest elected president ever, nor the 78-year-old Republican, the first American head of state to be criminally convicted, currently appears in opinion polls.

Surveys

According to a poll published by Quinnipiac University on Wednesday, Donald Trump leads Joe Biden for the first time with 49% of voting intentions compared to 45% nationally. On the contrary, a poll published by Fox on Sunday showed the Democratic lead by 50% versus 48%.

Meanwhile, the billionaire Republican appears to be in the lead in some key states.

Each team hopes that the hour-and-a-half confrontation will collect some valuable votes from the undecided.

The incumbent president presents himself as a guarantor of democracy against a rival who never conceded defeat in 2020.

He released a new video on Wednesday that opened with images of the attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, by Donald Trump supporters, in which a uniformed police officer says he has “no desire to work with anyone who divides” the country. .

Democrats are relying on the contradiction between Joe Biden, who does not have a great charismatic personality, but is rational and competent, and his predecessor, against whom several accusations have been brought, who is temperamental and prone to false digressions.

Cut off the microphone

It must be a very tense meeting, between two men who despise each other, but agree on strict rules.

The microphone of the person who does not have the floor will be cut off on Thursday evening, to avoid the same quarrel that occurred during the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden four years ago.

The octogenarian president, who has lost his physical presence and the simplicity of his speech, will have to reassure an America disturbed by his advanced age, even though he is only three years older than his opponent.

“There are a lot of people in the media who are already ready to give the trophy to Joe Biden if he can stand for 90 minutes,” Jason Miller, a Republican campaign host, said Tuesday.

But he warned that Donald Trump would face a candidate Thursday who would be “ready.”

The former president hints that his rival will take steroids before appearing in front of the cameras.

Immigration and crime

Jason Miller said Donald Trump wants to explain to Atlanta “how to get us back on track with inflation, how to secure our southern border, how to end the endless wars (in the world) and clean up our cities.”

So far, this election, which pits two radically different visions of America against each other, has not generated much interest among voters.

But according to the aforementioned Quinnipak poll, 73% of Americans plan to watch the debate on Thursday night, and 16% don't rule out the possibility that the show could change how they vote.

The duel almost makes us forget that there is a third man, Robert Kennedy Jr., in the race.

The independent candidate, who denounces his exclusion from the debate, has no chance of winning, but his participation increases uncertainty about the elections.

This nephew of the assassinated President John F. Kennedy will organize a competition event, Thursday, in Los Angeles (California), which will be broadcast live on the X Network.