By: Adalyn Xiao

US president Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump took part in a debate at Techwood Campus studio, in Atlanta, GA on June 27, 2024 ahead of the election in November. Mr. Biden’s performance during the debate increased worries, and it was very clear that he was struggling during several points of the debate.

Presidential debates are important because they allow voters to directly compare candidates’ policies, leadership styles, and abilities to handle crucial issues, helping them make informed voting decisions. Many people already have concerns about Mr. Biden’s age and fitness for the role of the leader of the United States. Joe Biden is at the age of 81, making him the oldest president in US history.

Journalists watching said that Donald Trump appeared confident, but he made several claims that weren’t supported by facts, or false. During this important discussion,Mr. Biden rambled, left long pauses, stumbled over his words, and wasn’t able to respond quickly to his opponent’s arguments. Although some of Trump’s claims weren’t supported by facts, Biden still had trouble against those claims for most of the debate.

Some Democrats were worried about Biden’s early answers during the debate, although Vice-President Kamala Harris defended him, telling the news channel CNN “it was a slow start, but there was a strong finish”. Mr. Biden’s own former communications’ director Kate Bedingfield said right after the debate, “There’s no two ways about it, that was not a good debate for Joe Biden.” She also said that his only test was to persuade people that he wasn’t too old, but he failed that test.

There will now be questions over whether Joe Biden will carry on as the presidential candidate among the members of the Democratic Party. If he cannot, the party will have to hold a process to select a new candidate. Potential candidates could include prominent politicians, governors, senators, or other figures within the party who believe they can rally support from delegates and voters.