Syracuse University’s Maxwell School political science professor Grant Reeher believes that the first Presidential debate left most voters feeling dissatisfied with at least one of the candidates, if not both. According to him, the American people did not feel any more informed about the candidates after the debate. Reeher notes that President Biden seemed frail and difficult to follow for some viewers, especially those without a deep understanding of policy areas.
In contrast, Trump came across as more rational and presidential-like initially but became increasingly over-the-top as the debate progressed, resembling a campaign rally. Reeher describes Biden’s performance in the second half of the debate as better than his initial showing, although he remained somewhat confusing. Trump, on the other hand, consistently shifted his focus to US immigration and the border crisis when answering policy questions because he views them as winning issues.
Reeher advises campaign advisors to advise Trump to avoid negative tactics in the next debate and recommends that Biden’s team work on getting him more energized and prepared to outline his accomplishments in economic policy. He believes that both candidates have room for improvement before their next showdown.
