The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden took place on Thursday evening, and the clash of two of the least-liked leading candidates in recent memory resulted in a storm of social media posts, editorials, and cable news commentary.
A number of Christian leaders weighed in on how each candidate performed, and many were critical of both President Biden and former President Trump, particularly on the issue of abortion.
The 90-minute debate, which was broadcast on CNN, featured no studio audience and was more strict about cutting each candidate’s microphone when it was not his turn to speak. These measures appear to have been in response to some of the more unruly debates between Trump and Biden in the past.
During the debate, Trump appeared more restrained than in previous debates. However, he did not keep fact checkers any less busy as he set forth numerous misleading or false claims about immigration, abortion, foreign policy, and the economy.
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For his part, Biden showed signs of his age, often stumbling over his words, losing his place, and appearing confused.
As has been the case in the past, the debate turned personal at several points. While accusing Biden of weaponizing the Department of Justice to bring federal charges against him, Trump made mention of the conviction of Hunter Biden, the president’s son, on three felony gun charges. At another point during the debate, the two candidates exchanged insults, with Trump touting his golfing prowess and Biden making comments about Trump’s height and weight. Both repeatedly accused the other being the “worst president ever.”
When Trump was asked if he would accept the results of the 2024 election regardless of who wins, he said that he would do so only “if it’s a fair and legal and good election.” Notably, he gave very similar answers to the same question in the run-up to the 2020 election, the result of which he still has not publicly acknowledged as legitimate.
A flash poll conducted by CNN following the debate indicated that 67% of viewers thought Trump had won the debate. The Democratic Party apparently disagreed with a majority of viewers, declaring Biden the winner in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Dean Cain, an outspoken Christian best known for portraying Superman in the early 90s television show “Lois and Clark,” responded indignantly, writing, “What the f**k did YOU watch?!?!”
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During the debate, Biden seemed to fumble over his explanation of Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that granted women the right to an abortion. The ruling had been the law of the land for a half century before being overturned in 2022 by a conservative majority Supreme Court—the result of Trump appointees.
