Big News Just Days Before Trump - Biden Debate
Former President Donald Trump will have the final word when he debates President Joe Biden on Thursday, after a coin flip decided the podium positions and the order of closing comments.
When the coin landed on Biden’s pick, “tails,” his campaign had the choice to either select the president’s spot at the podium or the order of the closing remarks.
They chose the right podium position for Biden, which places the Democratic president on the right side of TV screens and his Republican opponent on the left, according to CNN.
As a result, Trump’s team chose for the former president to give the last closing statement. This means Biden will speak first at the end of the debate.
On Thursday, Biden and Trump will be the first presidential candidates to debate against a sitting president. Notably, it will be the first debate featuring either Biden or Trump since 2020, as Trump skipped debates during the Republican primary fight.
For Trump, delivering the final closing statement in CNN’s debate contrasts sharply with his experience during the recent criminal trial in New York. In the hush money case, he was frustrated that his lawyer couldn’t deliver the final words, which is customary for the prosecutor in such hearings.
CNN has expressed concerns about Biden's debate performance.
CNN political commentator Jamal Simmons advised that Biden should smile more when discussing the upcoming presidential debate on Sunday, mentioning that the president had a “resting old face.”
“For President Biden, one more piece of advice, because this is still a physical, visual medium, he‘s kind of got resting old face, right? So he needs to smile and when he smiles, it goes away a little bit. When he smiles, his face comes to life. I would just say, they‘re practicing this, practice smiling,” said Simmons, who served as a communications director for Vice President Harris, during CNN’s “State of the Union.”
CNN host Kaitlan Collins, along with political commentators Bakari Sellers, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and former Trump adviser David Urban, discussed what to expect from the June 27 debate.
Simmons mentioned he felt President Biden was not specific enough about his second-term plans, adding, “I can‘t tell you exactly which policy to finish the agenda that they are really kind of basing this on.”
Sellers argued that Biden’s biggest challenge was articulating a vision for the future.
“And that actually is being captive in age, because it’s hard for someone 81 years old to articulate a vision for a future they may not be a part of. If he’s able to do that well, then we will see what happens,” Sellers said.
The debate rules include no live audience, no consulting with campaign aides during commercial breaks, no props or prepared notes, and each candidate’s microphone will be muted when it’s not their turn.
Urban suggested Trump let Biden speak and avoid overstepping.
“I think if former President Trump were smart, he would just say to the crowd, ‘are you better off now than you were four years ago’ and then just let Joe Biden talk. Just let him talk. Don‘t try to overstep. Let him try to make his case, because he has a record to defend, of four years. So if I was Trump, that’s what I’d do here,” Urban said.
Griffin suggested that the absence of a live audience might benefit Trump during the debate. Without a live audience, Trump might avoid a “bombastic mindset.”
“I do worry for Biden on the energy. He got through the State of the Union, but that was a hometown crowd cheering for him. It’s right off of a teleprompter. This is quiet. Nobody is telling you you did a good job. No one is applauding for you and to keep the energy going for 90 minutes. It’s a lot,” Griffin said.
CNN’s Van Jones suggested the debate could be crucial for Biden.
“Because if Biden goes out there and messes up, it’s game over. If he walks out there and a week later he’s lower in the polls, it’s panic in the party,” he said. “But if he goes in there and he can handle himself against Donald Trump — a runaway train, a locomotive, a raging bull — then this guy deserves another shot to be president, because that is tough.”