MORNING NEWSBREAK | President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will face off in the first presidential debate of the 2024 general election tonight in Atlanta.
The 90-minute event, which starts at 9 p.m. in CNN’s Atlanta studios, moderated by the network’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
The debate marks a new phase of the presidential race that is only five months away from election day. Biden and Trump currently stand virtually tied, according to the latest national polls, echoing a months-long trend of national surveys. Up to this point in the presidential selection process, neither candidate has participated in any debates. Biden ran largely unopposed in Democratic primaries and Trump notably skipped several GOP primary debates.
Tonight, the candidates are expected to address recent respective legal dramas. The debate comes about a month after Trump was found guilty of 34 criminal charges in New York, becoming the first U.S. president in history to be convicted of felony crimes. Meanwhile, Biden’s son, Hunter, who is not running for office, was convicted on felony gun charges in Delaware in mid-June and faces a second federal trial in September over tax allegations.
The national economy and immigration policy are also consistently top issues for voters in national polling. It’s also possible the candidates will weigh in on international politics, given voters remain divided on whether the U.S. should be sending military aid to Ukraine and Israel in their respective wars.
Trump and Biden will debate a second time on Sept. 10. By then, Trump will likely have named his running mate and will have appeared for sentencing in his criminal trial, which is set for July 11.
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- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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