ATLANTA — President Biden and former President Donald Trump took the stage Thursday for a high-stakes general election debate at a pivotal moment in the race.
The showdown on CNN is the earliest presidential debate ever. It marks the first time Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden have been in the same room since the 2020 election and the first time a current and former president have faced off in a race for the White House.
As a result, the 90-minute affair was billed as the true start of the presidential campaign, offering both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump a massive platform to make their case in real time to voters.
The 81-year-old Biden is looking to reassure voters about his mental wherewithal, remind voters of the chaotic Trump years and deliver a message that energizes key segments of the Democratic Party that he will need to win.
The 78-year-old Trump is looking to reassure voters about his temperament, convince votes they are worse off than they were four years ago, and broaden his appeal with the non-MAGA crowd along the way.
The debate is the first in decades not sanctioned by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which fell out of favor with Mr. Trump and Republicans after the 2020 election.
Both campaigns agreed to the rules established by CNN.
There is no live studio audience for the debate and the candidates’ microphones will be muted except when it is their time to talk.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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