In their first 2024 presidential debate, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off without shaking hands. The 90-minute debate covered a range of topics, including the economy, abortion, and civil rights.
During the economic portion of the debate, Biden highlighted the economic gains that occurred during his presidency, noting that he had rescued the economy from chaos when he took over from Trump in 2021. Trump, on the other hand, boasted about the state of the economy during his term, claiming that everything was going well and attributing rising prices to Biden. The two traded blows over who was responsible for the current economic situation, with Trump emphasizing the impact of inflation on the country.
The discussion then moved to abortion rights, with Biden accusing Trump of eroding such rights through his Supreme Court appointments. Biden pledged to restore the protections under Roe v. Wade if given a second term, while criticizing the notion of leaving abortion laws up to individual states. Trump defended his presidency’s approach to abortion, claiming that it allowed for more democratic decision-making on the issue. He also reiterated his support for abortion ban exceptions and falsely accused Biden of supporting abortion up to and after birth.
Overall, the debate was marked by these key moments of disagreement and differing perspectives on the economy, abortion
