Former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden went head-to-head at the first presidential debate of the 2024 election Thursday at the CNN Atlanta studio.
The first presidential debate of the 2024 election was governed by strict rules, according to the Associated Press. The candidates weren’t allowed to bring prewritten notes and their microphones were muted while the other candidate spoke.
Biden’s campaign won a coin flip and was given a choice between selecting the president’s podium or the order of the debate’s closing statements, according to the AP. Biden chose the right podium, giving Trump the final word on questions.
“He did not do well at all,” CNN political commentator Van Jones said in an AP News report.
According to the AP, Biden lost his train of thought multiple times.
Biden brought up Trump’s recent conviction about the hush money trial, according to the AP. Trump responded with, “I did not have sex with a pornstar.”
The CNN moderators, Dana Bash and Jake Trapper, asked questions that were largely ignored, according to the AP. The moderators asked about abortion, immigration, the Jan. 6 insurrection and inflation.
A pollconducted by SSRS Defining Research for CNN, asked viewers via text message who they thought performed better. According to the poll, Trump won with 67%, leaving 33% of viewers believing Biden did better.
ABC News announcedthey will host the next presidential debate on Sept. 10, at 9 p.m.
