What could be one of the more significant political debates in recent history kicks off at CNN’s midtown Atlanta studios at 9 p.m., when President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will square off in the first, and potentially only, showdown of the 2024 campaign.
Here are key factors to watch for:
— How do both handle doubts about their health? The oldest candidates ever to compete in a presidential race, Biden and Trump have both faced questions about their mental and physical abilities. For years, Republicans have painted Biden as an old man bordering on senility and questioned whether he could even stand on stage through the debate.
— How will Trump’s criminal troubles factor? The Republican was convicted by a New York jury in May of 34 felony charges in a scheme to conceal an alleged affair with a porn star. An Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll released this week shows how divisive the criminal charges are. Nearly half of all voters polled say they approve of the New York jury’s May verdict, including a bare majority of independent voters. And roughly one-third of independents polled say the convictions make them less likely to back Trump.
— Will Trump erupt? Their first debate in 2020 was marred by a string of outbursts and interruptions by Trump that rendered parts of the showdown unwatchable — and helped Biden project an aura of command.
— Will it have a lasting impact? Sometimes, debates become a turning point in campaigns. Sometimes, they’re hardly remembered. We’ll know soon whether the Atlanta showdown has a place in history or is just a footnote.
Read the full story here.
This was originally published on our Live Updates page.
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