Marathon rehearsals, informal consultations, campaign rallies: Joe Biden and Donald Trump are gearing up in their unique ways for the first televised debate of the 2024 presidential race next Thursday.
With just a week to go, the Democratic president plans to retreat to Camp David to sharpen his attack lines and rebuttals. Biden’s preparation details remain scarce, but his former chief of staff Ron Klain will be involved, and a Biden aide will play Trump in mock debates.
Trump’s campaign, however, is downplaying the need for extensive rehearsals. Unlike 2020, when he practiced with former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Trump now focuses on tough interviews and lengthy rally speeches. “President Trump demonstrates elite stamina and doesn’t need to be programmed by staff or shot up with chemicals like Joe Biden does,” stated senior Trump advisor Jason Miller.
Instead of traditional prep sessions, Trump surrounds himself with influential senators and vice-presidential candidates to discuss key issues like foreign policy and immigration. He’s also readying responses for when the debate inevitably touches on his legal troubles.
Scheduled for 9:00 PM in Atlanta, this debate marks the third showdown between the two rivals. “It should be a big evening. They say Super Bowl numbers,” Trump told a crowd at his birthday celebration in West Palm Beach, predicting a large TV audience.
The last debates in 2020 were highly charged, with Biden famously snapping, “Will you shut up, man?” as Trump repeatedly interrupted. This time, CNN moderators have more control, with microphones muted except for the candidate speaking.
Biden’s debate strategy is straightforward. “Say what I think. Let him say what he thinks,” he told ABC. “The things he says are off the wall… I want to move in a direction where he talks about, you know, suspending the Constitution.”
Biden plans to highlight Trump’s statements and contrast them with his own beliefs. He aims to project stability and underscore Trump as a danger to democracy. His camp pushed for an early debate, hoping that 90 minutes of unfiltered Trump would cement his image as the chaos candidate.
Biden campaign chairwoman Jen O’Malley Dillon mentioned that the president would focus on abortion rights, threats to democracy, and Trump’s plans for “tax breaks to billionaires.”
For Biden, the debate is also about proving his vitality. His supporters recall his energetic State of the Union address in March, which surprised many, including Trump. Despite Trump’s predictions of Biden embarrassing himself, the president has consistently surpassed expectations.
Anticipating a strong Biden performance, Trump suggested to rallygoers in Wisconsin that the president would likely be high on stimulants during the debate, saying, “He’s going to be so pumped up!”