President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump took the stage in the first 2024 presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday night. The debate lasted 90 minutes, airing live on CNN and streaming on CNN.com. Anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash served as moderators. It was the first time either man had debated since 2020, and they made history by marking the first time a sitting president and a former president have ever debated.

The tension between Trump and Biden throughout the debate began from the start, in which the two men did not begin with a handshake, as most typically do. The candidates immediately began taking questions, which included topics such as the state of the economy, abortion and the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and the Israel-Hamas/Russia-Ukraine wars.

Both of the candidates’ performances faced criticism; with Trump rattling off false and unsubstantiated statements various topics throughout the evening, and Biden sounding hoarse and appearing to lose his train of thought on several occasions. Echoing what most major networks reported after the debate, the headline on the homepage of CNN read: ‘Biden disappoints; Trump lies and deflects’.  The news outlet went on to say that “Biden, hoarse and displaying little vocal range, was often unable to express his differences with Trump with clarity. At one point, after Biden had trailed off as he defended his record on border security, Trump said: “I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said, either.” Trump, meanwhile, at times repeated his frequent election denialism. He said he’d accept the results of the 2024 election if it’s “fair and legal,” but then repeated his lies about fraud in the 2020 election.”

To see a replay of the debate in full, head HERE.

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