HAMILTON, Ohio — American President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, former President Donald Trumpmeet for the first general election debate of the Season 2024 — a chance for the candidates to try to change the political narrative and sway undecided voters.
The 90-minute debate, hosted by CNN and held in Atlanta on Thursday, brought together Americans with differing views on the nation’s most pressing issues at venues across the country for watch parties.
Elaine Freeman, a Trump supporter from Oxford, Ohio, and employee at the local Veterans Affairs hospital, said the economy is the most important issue in this election. For her family, the cost of living is too high and she struggles to cover the cost of basic necessities like groceries each week.
“For what I earn, 15 years ago I would have been considered upper middle class,” said Freeman, who attended an event in Hamilton, Ohio. “I shouldn’t have to live from paycheck to paycheck.”
Adriana Varea, policy and legislative associate for the League of United Latin American Citizens, said immigration is a major issue and gun control needs to be addressed. She said she goes to school in Lewiston, Maine, the site of a mass shooting in 2023 that left 18 people dead.
“Gun control is definitely something I’m passionate about,” said Varea, who attended a debate event in Las Vegas.
Reginald Marsh, owner of the M Lounge in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, weighed in with customers and said for him there isn’t one main problem.
“I just believe Trump is dangerous to this country,” he said.
Bar of London & McAllen, Texas, is normally a noisy place on a day just before the weekend, but owners said they were surprised to see so many people being so quiet and engaging in the debate.
Hector Mercado, a beret-wearing war veteran who lives in Edinburg, Texas, said he agreed with what Trump said about closing the border.
Virginia Lopez was also at the counter in Texas and said she was an undecided voter.
“I really feel like one of them – the Republican, I’m disappointed in what he’s done – with his behavior,” she said. “And the other one, I just feel like he’s too old.”