Biden appeared incoherent, unconvincing and repetitive. In contrast, Trump stuck to his typical style of making sweeping generalisations, blowing the trumpet on his achievements, projecting his rival as corrupt and unworthy of the presidency, and harping on making America great again. (AP)
The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden turned out to be a disaster for the Democrats. The Democrats had requested this debate, anticipating that President Biden would succeed in dispelling concerns about his age and fading memory. Instead, the debate heightened those concerns, sparking speculations on the possibility of Biden stepping aside and the Democrats finding an alternative candidate.
Biden appeared incoherent, unconvincing and repetitive. He was over-prepared and sounded defensive. It was a slow start, and he did not recover quickly. He sought to remain factual and anecdotal. However, his articulation was weak, his eye movements were inconsistent, and he frequently lost track of his thoughts. He struggled to communicate effectively which was not the case in earlier election debates. When asked about his age issue, he referred to his rival’s age and then moved quickly to the industrial policy and employment generation programmes. This was the star question of the night, and voters expected a definitive answer from Biden, but he appeared to be diverting from the key question.
In contrast, Trump stuck to his typical style of making sweeping generalisations, blowing the trumpet on his achievements, projecting his rival as corrupt and unworthy of the presidency, and harping on making America great again. Biden did refer to him as a convicted felon several times, but Trump, as usual, dismissed it as a political witch-hunt, an attempt by the liberal judges to debar him from the contest. Trump deflected the focus, claiming that judges were working hand in glove with the Democrats. He also denied charges of having a physical relationship with a porn star. Hence, so far as style and performance are concerned, Trump outsmarted Biden.
The CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash did a tremendous job. Many feared that this might be a rerun of the first debate between the two leaders in 2020, which descended into chaos because of Trump’s frequent interruptions and flouting of time limits. Aware of such concerns, the organisers changed rules where the microphone was kept under their control and the audience was not allowed at the venue. The event ended smoothly; the moderators maintained their neutrality, and the leaders had no complaints about the procedure. This in itself is a significant achievement given the animosity of the two leaders and hyper-polarised American politics.
Trump might have won the debate, but a large number of American voters are upset about the choices that have been thrust upon them: A convicted felon and an octogenarian with fading memory and incoherent thoughts. America is on a slippery slope so far as democracy is concerned, and Trump is not the sole factor responsible for this downslide. The inability of the liberals to replace the old guard is equally disconcerting. The Democrats are not short of capable candidates, but the forces of the establishment hamper the emergence of alternative power centres. One wonders whether the shock that the liberals received will shake the establishment and push them to search for an alternative.
Trump distrusts public institutions, believes in establishing direct rapport with the voters, and blames the old ruling elite for all the evils in America. Though coming from the same class, he often dismisses the old elite as corrupt, self-serving and responsible for the decline of America. His style of working is personality-centric, which tolerates no dissent and criticism. Many of his colleagues, including former Vice President Mike Pence, refused to endorse his candidature. He is mercurial, unpredictable and vindictive. He has no ideology and believes in a discursive and transactional style of politics.
By berating public institutions, arousing nativist sentiments bordering on xenophobia, and playing divisive politics, Trump has disrupted social cohesion and weakened the democratic credentials of America. Expect no change in his behaviour, and even during the debate, he refused to condemn the people responsible for the Capitol violence on January 6, 2021. He still believes that he lost the last election because of electoral fraud by the Democrats. He was non-committal when the moderators confronted him on whether he would accept the results if he lost the election. He claimed he would accept the result only if it were fair and legal. And who will decide the legality remains unclear for the Trump team.
The presidential election is a few months away, and it is risky to predict the outcome given the fluidity of US domestic politics. However, as opinion polls suggest, Trump has a clear lead over Biden, and the gap might increase further. If Trump becomes the President, global politics will change significantly. As indicated in the debate, he distrusts Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and blames the Biden administration for mishandling Russia. His statements must have raised alarms in Kyiv and Brussels. The dynamics in Ukraine can change, and from New Delhi’s perspective, that would be a huge relief, making the balance between Washington and Moscow much easier. He may adopt a more stringent and assertive policy towards China, too. However, Trump’s unconditional support of Israel and his policy towards Iran may cause concerns in India.
Finally, Trump referred to India once while answering the question on climate change and the Paris Agreement. Trump views climate change as a hoax fabricated by the liberal establishment and believes that regulations on coal and energy companies harm US interests. He referred to China and India for not taking adequate responsibilities in that context. However, this should not cause any concern in New Delhi which is familiar with Trump’s style of working and the ties between the two countries will remain strong irrespective of the White House incumbent.
The writer teaches in the School of International Studies, JNU
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 28-06-2024 at 15:58 IST
