Lots of invective and too few political ideas.
The first televised debate between the two candidates for the US presidential election, Tuesday, September 29, will not go down in history for good reasons.
"Today we have a feeling of disappointment", regrets Romain Huret, historian of the United States at the School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS), on France 24. "We insulted each other a lot and we were very little said about the bottom. "
>> To read: First debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden: a rat race from start to finish
"There is nothing clever about you", "liar", "clown"… Bird names have indeed flown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who both put on a bad show for the American voters.
"The two candidates did not stop interrupting with speeches that looked more like tweets than political reasoning, judge Romain Huret. Most often, we were treated to small sentences, small attacks. It is extremely worrying for American democracy, which faces gigantic difficulties. To attend such a debate, for the youngest, it is extremely serious and extremely sad. "
Donald Trump / Joe Biden: the entire first debate for the US presidential election https://t.co/mCyHI8BZ7X pic.twitter.com/McNIjbf8mn
- FRANCE 24 French (@ France24_fr) September 30, 2020
"The debate has all the same brought elements on the bottom", wants to believe Jean-Éric Branaa, researcher specializing in the United States at the university Paris-2 Panthéon-Assas, on France 24. "Everyone has had their moment. Joe Biden was excellent on the whole climate part by monopolizing the floor. He made a technical knockout vis-à-vis Donald Trump. For his part, Donald Trump was rather good on the economy. He cannot be blamed for the economic crisis since it resulted from a pandemic and he was able to bounce back on it. "
Donald Trump gives up on the centrist electorate
Constantly portrayed by his opponent as a politician lacking in the dynamism to govern the United States, Joe Biden has also succeeded in showing himself "both more alert and more presidential", believes Romain Huret.
"He surprised the supporters of Donald Trump, who had come to believe in the description made of him by the American president," adds Jean-Éric Branaa.
However, neither of them was able to score decisive points for the November 3 election.
"The two candidates have played their part. It will not have much impact on the choice of the electorate. Each camp has found the candidate it wanted to have," says Romain Huret.
>> To read: What to remember from the first debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden
"The debate will have no effect on the votes and the first polls show it to us, abounds Jean-Éric Branaa. The satisfaction is partisan: the supporters of Donald Trump think that their champion was great, ditto for those of Joe Biden. "
Especially since by refusing to clearly condemn the white supremacists, Donald Trump made the choice to abandon the centrist electorate for good.
"By doing so, Donald Trump sends a very strong message to the white, working-class electorate, who will elect in key states, analyzes Romain Huret. It is a political strategy: the Republican candidate hopes that the cultural issues will make a difference to the electorate who had brought him to the White House four years ago. "
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