“Trump is a dictator.” “Biden is a threat to democracy but also to the survival and existence of our country.” The president and his predecessor open fire online a few hours after the first of their two TV duels, after those in 2020 marked by interruptions, shouts and insults such as “clown” or “Putin’s puppet.” Looking back at the images from four years ago, they almost look like young men. Now the two oldest presidential candidates ever appear visibly marked by age, 81-year-old Joe more than 78-year-old Donald, but both have accumulated gaffes, moments of confusion and senile tiredness. So much so that – according to polls – 70% of Americans would not like to see this ‘rematch’ again, even if a similar percentage will remain masochistically glued to the small screen to follow the confrontation in the CNN ring in Atlanta, Georgia, a swing state won by Biden in the last election.
America will therefore stop for what has now been a ritual since 1960, when there was the first debate of the young and relaxed Jfk with the older, pale and sweaty Nixon, who lost. This third duel is probably more important than those of 2020 due to the larger slice of uncertain electorate to be conquered, especially in the swing states, where the tycoon is ahead in six out of seven (while at a national level he leads 48% to 44% according to a NY poll). And for the never-so-anticipated date of the duel, which has the potential to change the trajectory – and the narrative – of the race for weeks or months. Especially if he misses the September 10 rematch on Fox. Barring sensational gaffes and slips, the one who makes the fewest mistakes will probably win. And not so much for the things he will say, but for how he will say them. The real test will be on character and age.
Viewers and experts will scrutinize every movement, tone of voice, physical resistance, wrinkles, readiness for 90 minutes. After all, the challenge is between two candidates who have already governed, Americans have already seen them at work, they know their strengths and weaknesses. This time, however, the rules of engagement are different: 90 minutes with two commercial breaks, with no spectators in the room or notes or staff to consult, just a blank piece of paper, a pen and a bottle of water. Two minutes each to answer, one for the reply. Microphones turned off when it is not your turn, to avoid bickering.
The moderators will be two CNN veterans, anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bush, who the Trump campaign has already accused of bias to reduce expectations. The tycoon also raised the bar, admitting that Biden is a “valuable speaker”, while suggesting that he will be “stuffed” with drugs (or drugs) to guarantee a good performance. Of course, for the president the road seems more uphill: he will have to project the vigor that he showed in the State of the Union speech but which he lacks in his daily appearances. Even Trump, however, despite being a natural showman, will have to guard against the arrogance and aggression that marked his first term, culminating in the assault on the Capitol. For now the guilty verdict in the porn star case doesn’t seem to have affected him but the sentence will be announced on July 11, a few days before the Republican convention in Milwaukee. While the supreme court will soon rule on the presidential immunity invoked in three other pending trials. The two rivals will clash on everything but the main issues remain immigration, economy and foreign policy. And abortion, where shortly before the debate the Supreme Court gave Biden a victory by allowing emergency termination of pregnancy in the Republican state of Idaho.
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