Abilenians prepare for first 2024 Biden-Trump debate

ABILENE, Texas ( KTAB/KRBC )— Millions of Americans will watch Thursday evening as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump meet on the debate stage for the first time since 2020. Voters in Abilene are preparing to witness the exchange, which promises to be historic for multiple reasons, as McMurry University Political Science Professor Dr. Paul Fabrizio explained.

“Well, the first thing that’s odd about this is that it’s taking place in June before either candidate is the official nominee of their party… We’ve never had a debate before those conventions. So that alone makes us historic. Secondly, this is the first time we’ve had a debate between two presidents,” Fabrizio said.

In Fabrizio’s opinion, this decision was made partially for the sake of exposure and narrative, with each candidate standing to gain something from the televised discourse.

“Joe Biden needed to get attention. Donald Trump had been campaigning for months, saying, I will debate Joe Biden anywhere, any place. And Donald Trump needs to change the nation’s attention from his criminal conviction,” Fabrizio added.

Each will walk away with a little more air time and a few more clips to circulate in the public. But how, if at all, will the debate impact voters’ decisions come November?

KTAB/KRBC spoke with two Abilene voters: Kyle Smith, who has seen a few elections already, and Owen Stotts, who is able to view the debate with new eyes, this being his first year as a voter. Both of them stated that they look forward to the discourse.

“I don’t think debates really change minds exactly,” said Smith.

“I’m not sure if I came in thinking about one side that I could be completely persuaded to the other side,” Stotts commented.

So if both agree that debates generally do not have much impact on the result, what’s the reason to hold one at all?

“There is a small segment of the electorate, and we really have to focus only on about six states where this small segment lives who really don’t know… Most of those people who don’t know who they’re going to vote for are what we call low-information voters who don’t pay much attention to politics and are unlikely to watch this debate,” said Fabrizio.

But even if you don’t watch the entire debate, political discourse has a way of weaving itself into our everyday lives. In this case, Fabrizio says many politicians have trended toward seeking ‘viral moments’ that may not directly address a candidate’s issues but have tremendous staying power in voters’ minds.

“I like the aggressiveness of Donald Trump. I like the decency of Joe Biden. Those aren’t issues. Those are style. I think what’s going to be most important about this debate is the style… So, instead of looking at this debate as who wins or who loses, I think we have to look for those viral moments that are going to show up on TikTok or Facebook… The hope is that people who see those viral moments but miss the debate will at some point go and do their electoral homework and learn more,” Fabrizio said.

The moments we’ve come to expect from such debates play a crucial role in the candidate’s ability to reach voters beyond that single night.

“I think both will make gaffs considering their age… I expect Trump to be disrespectful. I expect fireworks of a certain degree. I just hope that it’s beneficial to the American people,” said Smith.

But the viral moments cannot often contain the substance of a candidate’s campaign or promises, which is why the debate is only a part of the marathon of democracy.

“We can watch. That’s all we can do. And then, when the time comes, we can vote,” said Fabrizio.

The Taylor County Democratic Party will host a debate watch party on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. at Logan’s Roadhouse, 3126 South Clack Street. The Taylor County Republican Party has stated that informal watch parties are likely to take place after their organizational meeting, which will start at their regular location at 6:30 pm on Thursday evening.

The debate between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump will be televised on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. central time on KTAB and KRBC. In a break from tradition, no studio audience will be present, and candidates’ mics will be turned off when they go over time to prevent interruptions.

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