21 hours ago
By Ana Faguy, BBC News, Washington
BBC
President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump faced off on Thursday night in the initial presidential debate of the 2024 election cycle.
Concerns about the ages of the candidates – Mr. Biden is 81 and Trump is 78 – have been expressed by voters nationwide, and the debate only intensified that worry.
Despite the upcoming conventions where each party will officially nominate their candidate, supporters of both major parties feel limited in their choices.
The BBC interviewed Democratic, Republican, and independent voters, who shared their concerns about Mr. Biden’s suitability for the presidency.
Following Thursday’s debate, we inquired if the heavily criticized performance would impact their voting decisions. We begin with a voter who feels compelled to support the president.
This lifelong Democrat found the debate so difficult to watch that she could barely continue watching. Nevertheless, regardless of the candidates’ performances, she intends to vote Democrat in November.
I didn’t watch the whole thing.
I could not handle it, this is the best our country can do? If Hillary had shown up in her pantsuit, I would have been ecstatic.
I absolutely detest Trump and everything he represents – his dishonesty, deceit, and lack of ethics.
Biden is a much better person, but I felt so sorry for him (during the debate) and it was incredibly disappointing.
I was expecting “Jacked up Joe” at the State of the Union. Instead, everything that everyone has criticized him for just showed up on stage.
I feel awful for him and for America, but we just have to endure it.
Honestly, the debate left me feeling disconnected. I feel like there’s nothing I can do but vote Democrat, regardless of who the candidate is.
Dominic identifies as a Libertarian and voted for a third-party candidate in 2016 and 2020, but this time, he is fully supporting the former president.
I’m a fan of Trump and I am eagerly going to vote for him.
Heading into this debate, I thought the Republicans were setting themselves up for failure. I was actually surprised by how poorly Biden performed, I thought he would do better.
I was somewhat satisfied with Trump. I felt he appeared much more presidential, especially compared to the previous debates.
He was very negative last time. I believe he struck the right tone (during the debate).
The Trump onstage was very different from the 2016 version. The 2016 Trump would have taken many more jabs at Biden’s age.
Biden appeared quite defeated in his body language. I think Trump handled Biden’s age very presidentially.
At this point, I am eagerly going to vote for Trump, even though I did not vote for him in either 2016 or 2020.
[Dominic texted a few minutes later]
In 2016, you could have considered me a Never Trumper. My opinion of him has completely changed.
Connor is a Democrat who voted for Biden in 2020. He plans to do the same in 2024 but is apprehensive about the president’s age.
I am nervous about a potential second Biden term.
I have no doubt that the people surrounding Biden are capable and able to carry out the duties of the executive branch. I also have no doubt that Biden has the best interests of this country at heart.
That being said, I am less confident in Biden’s ability to lead the country now than ever before.
The Biden administration’s actions on infrastructure, uniting our allies, pardoning those with marijuana convictions, investing in renewable energy and progressive technologies, and reducing prescription drug costs are all significant. I believe the first term has been quite successful, which is why it is difficult for me to say that Biden may not be the best spokesperson for these policies or this moment.
I don’t think anything could persuade me to vote for Trump.
I simply cannot support a candidate who has severely undermined faith in our electoral system, despite his advisers telling him otherwise.
Or a candidate who clearly lacks moral character, as evidenced by his extramarital affairs confirmed in court and numerous other scandals. Or a candidate who encourages the worst forms of hatred and politicization in our society and government. Or a candidate who has never spoken intelligently or in depth on any topic.
Crystal is a staunch supporter of Trump who has voted for him twice before and will do so again in November.
Trump appeared very composed and presidential, while Biden seemed weak.
I truly did not think it was wise for Biden to participate in this debate. He did not seem mentally sound to me. He came across as feeble and weak.
Watching 90 minutes of the debate between Biden and Trump was painful.
The fentanyl crisis, border security, and the economy are my top concerns, and I felt Biden did not address these issues adequately.
I am against abortion and the abortion pill, like Trump. I appreciate his pro-life stance and his alignment with Christian conservative values.
I believe this country respects him, and after this debate, I am confident he will emerge victorious.
This debate solidified his potential to win.
Shana intends to support Biden in the upcoming election but is dissatisfied with the current state of the country’s affairs. Estaba muy frustrado viendo el debate. Siento que las respuestas que estaban dando no eran realmente respuestas a ninguna de las preguntas. Fue agotador de ver. No creo que ninguno de ellos lo hiciera mejor que el otro. El señor Biden se veía cansado, se veía débil. Incluso si tenía un resfriado y tenía cosas buenas que decir, no las estaba sacando y no era comprensible. Eso me recuerda cómo Kennedy venció a Nixon en el primer debate televisado al verse más saludable. Trump estaba siendo agresivo, yendo por tangentes. Aunque parecía más fuerte físicamente, no creo que lo hiciera bien en contenido. Creo que todavía voy a votar por el señor Biden porque no quiero al señor Trump en el cargo. Me encantaría que ambos partidos reconsideraran a sus candidatos. Sé que esa idea se está comentando en este momento, nos iría mejor. Antes de que Biden anunciara su reelección, esperaba que se apartara para que alguien más se presentara. Pero preferiría que un Demócrata estuviera en el cargo que el señor Trump. Eric es un votante Independiente que votó por un tercer partido en 2020, pero aún no ha decidido qué hará en noviembre. Trump es un viejo mentiroso psicópata que está postulando únicamente para mantenerse fuera de la cárcel y dirá literalmente cualquier cosa para protegerse. Biden es viejo, débil y desconectado de su electorado. Personalmente, creo que el presidente Biden hace un mejor trabajo al escuchar diferentes puntos de vista. Para mí fue revelador cuando los moderadores hacían preguntas, Trump hablaba sobre los temas que quería. Estoy indeciso en este momento, voy a esperar y ver qué sucede. Muchas cosas podrían cambiar entre ahora y noviembre. Personalmente, no veo una razón convincente para votar por ninguna de las personas allí arriba, pero sí veo razones convincentes para votar en contra de las personas allí arriba. Me gustaría ver a un candidato en quien pueda apoyar y votar, en lugar de votar en contra de alguien. Quiero a alguien que esté más interesado en hacer el trabajo que en ser reelegido nuevamente. Ni Trump ni Biden son jóvenes. No sé si alguno de ellos puede aguantar cuatro años siendo presidente. El hecho de que ambos estuvieran discutiendo sobre su juego de golf me dice que están más interesados en otras cosas que en dirigir un país.