Reflections | Joe Biden’s age in perspective – at 81, China’s oldest imperial ruler gave up the throne
- Whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden wins the US election, they will be the oldest person ever inaugurated as president
The debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, televised live on June 27, was hard to watch but, like the car crash that it was, you just could not look away.
It was the first of two scheduled debates between the two presumptive nominees for the United States presidential election, to be held in November 2024.
Presidential debates have had a long tradition in the US, dating back to the mid-19th century, long before the advent of radio and television, but are they the best way for voters to gauge a candidate’s suitability for presidential office?
A debate that is conducted within a short, limited period of time precludes considered deliberation of policy issues, which are necessarily complex and multifaceted. Instead, participants often trade in sound bites and barbs (of which there were plenty on June 27), hoping to impress voters with their ability to think on their feet and their eloquence (both of which were in short supply).
However, viewers and commentators were not so much concerned with the debate’s lack of substance as they were with Biden’s apparent dotage.
