Presidential debate megathread (debate 1: June 27, 9pm EDT, CNN)

[Oregon Eagle Politics]

Trump is controlling himself because he knows his mic is off. Trying to interrupt would be pointless.

Democrats are the ones who pushed for that. One of many examples of the party shooting themselves in the foot. This is a disgrace.

[KYRockefeller]

Welp....so much for the helping families question!

[SnowLabrador]

Biden had a solid response to the social security question

He did.

I'm afraid it won't be enough. Then again, I'm always afraid.

[Schiff for Senate]

Is Trump confusing Biden and Hillary with the "superpredators" thing?

Yupp. First real slip up from Trump.

He’ll say he and Hillary were on the same page with supporting the 1994 Crime Bill or something. Non-issue, nobody will notice.

Overall Trump is the most normal and presidential-seeming I’ve ever seen him, even as he of course lies and exaggerates everything. Biden seems like he just rolled out of bed in a nursing home days before his death.

This is the worst case scenario.

You are nothing but a Trump supporter. The excuse for his slip up is pure MAGA bs.

No?

Alben's just a realist. It's a fact that Trump is definitely doing better than Biden overall, that Biden is visibly lost at certain points, and that roles are almost reversed from 4 years ago (when Trump was the embattled incumbent getting absolutely mauled).

[Ferguson97]

Biden sounding noticeably better now.

Where the hell was this energy an hour ago, when the narrative was being set?

[emailking]

Trump is controlling himself because he knows his mic is off. Trying to interrupt would be pointless.

Democrats are the ones who pushed for that. One of many examples of the party shooting themselves in the foot. This is a disgrace.

Actually I prefer this format by far to the first debate in 2020 which was an absolute mess.

[Horus]

Biden had a solid response to the social security question

He did.

I'm afraid it won't be enough. Then again, I'm always afraid.

That's not good and you should probably get some help for that.

[ProudModerate2]

What is this trump hogwash about the moderators paying 4 times more in taxes?
400% ?
More trump lies, to make it sound "dramatic."

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Biden says we have the lowest accounting deficit with China since 2010.

[Freshly-touched grass]

https://twitter.com/adamfriedland/status/1806507430123102295?s=46

[King Brandon I]

Biden sounding noticeably better now.

Where the hell was this energy an hour ago, when the narrative was being set?

End matters more than start

[Obama24]

Neither of these guys is for the working man.

[Schiff for Senate]

Trump is controlling himself because he knows his mic is off. Trying to interrupt would be pointless.

Democrats are the ones who pushed for that. One of many examples of the party shooting themselves in the foot. This is a disgrace.

Actually I prefer this format by far to the first debate in 2020 which was an absolute mess.

Oh definitely. I think everyone on this forum can agree that this one's far more pleasant to watch than the first debate from 2020. That was an utter sh**tshow. This is not nearly as bad by any means.

[emailking]

The forum is...struggling. lol

[LostFellow]

I don't think Trump has answered a single question from the moderators after the 10 minute mark. Not like that matters though. Biden's low energy coming in is just too impressionable for most.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Trump completely ignored the child care question twice and Biden didn’t call him out on it at all.  Trump is just going off on whatever he wants and Biden has no ability to retake control of the conversation.

[Alben Barkley]

The body language at certain points, my god. Biden looking away, his head hung as if in shame, almost looking submissive as Trump hammers him, his mouth gaping open and his eyes practically put of socket.

My god, man! YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!

I’m honestly terrified now someone this out of it is president. I was also terrified when someone as deranged as Trump was. Good lord this is the worst election ever!

[Anti-Trump Truth Socialite JD Vance Enjoying Juror]

Biden sounding noticeably better now.

Where the hell was this energy an hour ago, when the narrative was being set?

My theory is that he got worn out and hoarse doing debate prep (you know, because he's an octogenarian), and things spiraled from there. That explains why he's worse than baseline anyway. He was pretty rough before.

[DrScholl]

DrScholl accusing Alben of all people to be MAGA.

That's when you know it's bad.

I've been saying that about Alben a long time. After Clinton lost he wanted Dems to throw people of color under the bus and go into resentment politics to copy Trump.

That aside I can't see how anyone not supporting Trump wouldn't just admit he made a clear error.

[John Dule]

The good news is that Biden is definitely beating the cocaine use allegations

[OSR stands with Israel]

Neither of these guys is for the working man.

The New Deal consensus is long but gone, just accept it. Much of Reaganism is gonna be permanent just like a lot of the New Deal/Great Society never went away

[SnowLabrador]

Well, our only glimmer of hope is that there's one more debate in September. Maybe the expectations will be set lower and maybe Biden won't come in with a cold again. That being said, I might just be grasping at straws here.

[Red Velvet]

Is Trump confusing Biden and Hillary with the "superpredators" thing?

Yupp. First real slip up from Trump.

He’ll say he and Hillary were on the same page with supporting the 1994 Crime Bill or something. Non-issue, nobody will notice.

Overall Trump is the most normal and presidential-seeming I’ve ever seen him, even as he of course lies and exaggerates everything. Biden seems like he just rolled out of bed in a nursing home days before his death.

This is the worst case scenario.

You are nothing but a Trump supporter. The excuse for his slip up is pure MAGA bs.

No?

Alben's just a realist. It's a fact that Trump is definitely doing better than Biden overall, that Biden is visibly lost at certain points, and that roles are almost reversed from 4 years ago (when Trump was the embattled incumbent getting absolutely mauled).

Then that says something about the anti-incumbency instinct and expectations of the audience more than Biden or Trump actual debate skills.

[Schiff for Senate]

Biden sounding noticeably better now.

Where the hell was this energy an hour ago, when the narrative was being set?

End matters more than start

Agreed with both you and Fergie. Biden's improving, and the latter half is the more important.

Still think Trump will come out as the winner overall though - whatever that means and for whatever it's worth (if anything).

[Obama24]

The body language at certain points, my god. Biden looking away, his head hung as if in shame, almost looking submissive as Trump hammers him, his mouth gaping open and his eyes practically put of socket.

My god, man! YOU’RE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!

I’m honestly terrified now someone this out of it is president. I was also terrified when someone as deranged as Trump was. Good lord this is the worst election ever!

Alben out swinging with absolutely based takes.