Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, first Africa-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the Internet.
Chris Ukachukwu is a contributor to the multimedia platforms of USAfrica on politics and public policy
In the aftermath of the U.S 2024 first presidential debate of June 27, between the incumbent presidential candidate Joe Biden and the former president Donald Trump, several issues are emerging. Going into the debate, the stakes were high.
In the meantime, Trump supporters are renting the air with drumbeats of their debate victory, amplifying their claim that Biden is totally out of it. Biden supporters are smarting from the whooping while believing that one debate does not define a whole campaign.
Some look at Biden’s disappointing performance as a sobriety test of sorts for American voters. Most are clear now that they are not voting for Trump under any circumstance.
The job left for the Democrats is to encourage uncommitted voters to get to the polls and vote for a Democrat – even if they need to hold their noses to do it.
President Biden, we were told before the debate, was holed up at Camp David for over a week preparing. Preparation meant practising standing up for up to an hour, according to his detractors, the MAGA folks. As a worn-out, decrepit old man they expected him to be hopped-up on stimulants in to order to make it through the debate, the way they told it.
Trump apparently prepared for the debate by being his normal rumbustious self: posting numerous aimless rants on social media that revealed restlessness.
By virtue of the rules, the debate was designed to minimize indiscipline and deliver substance. Most notably, the absence of a live audience meant that candidates would maintain focus on topics and talking points, instead of hunting for applause.
Still, the debate is ultimately about the challenges and advantages for each camp.
Biden as the incumbent will be blamed for every conceivable societal challenge, especially theg economy, immigration and unrest anywhere in the world. His challenge was to tout his accomplishments which seems to be caught in a publicity haze, keep from making costly verbal gaffes, and dispel the age fears.
Trump himself is carrying a lot of baggage: 34 criminal convictions, J6 insurrection (the January 6 2021 attack on the Capitol), the overturn of Roe v Wade and these are just for starters. Not to mention the Classified Document fiasco, the Georgia election interference case, the DC property valuation civil fraud case for which he was found liable and ordered to pay a stiff fine -among many others.
It was apparent from the start that Biden was clearly under the weather and so, despite his landing a few zingers and getting in a few good lines on his opponent, America saw the one thing that Biden supporters and lovers of democracy didn’t want to see: a doddering, incapable old man. Next to this, a frisky and alert Trump presented a sharp contrast.
So, uncommitted and neutral voters have an unappealing choice if this were the only factor to go by.
The question now is whether Biden has greatly degenerated too much to still be useful or should Democrats put him out to pasture and look for another candidate. Even such a choice at this point in the game carries substantial risks. Given the nervous nature of Democrats, the question is likely to resound.
However, the complex equation that’s difficult to balance is what to do with Kamala Harris without risking losing women’s votes – especially Black women’s.
On the other hand, Trumpv cannot defend his economic performance or his human relations records with at least 90% of his cabinet appointees (the other 10% are walking free thanks to the presidential pardons he granted them).
Other hurdles for Trump to clear with non-MAGA voters (more than 60% of voters) are:
1. Roe v Wade reversal catastrophe
2. J6 insurrection and threat to democracy
3. 34 convictions
4. Pending serious criminal cases
5. Known records of performance (COVID fiasco)
Regardless of the general opinion of viewers on the debate performances of each candidate, – and the
consensus suggests that Biden crashed on a speed bump and Trump came out ahead in that ’beauty contest’ – still, major issues persist in the minds of the voters.
It is true that anything is possible but given all that Americans know about Trump now, the reactions following Biden’s ‘bad day’ at the debate can actually be seen as a good sign.
Americans may not be crazy about the Biden they saw at the debate but it doesn’t mean they are ready to pitch their tent with Donald Trump.
There’s still a second debate where Biden may get a second chance to redeem himself but it comes after the Democratic Party’s nomination. What if he doesn’t hit it out the park, so to speak?
I’ll simply remind everyone that tomorrow is another day.
