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Biden, Trump square off in first debate

Updated Jun 27, 2024, 8:17pm EDT
Marco Bello/Reuters
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The News

US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump face off in the first 2024 presidential debate in Atlanta on Thursday.

Though the pair are the least-liked major party presidential candidates in decades, more than 70% of voters still plan to tune in.

It is a historic moment in many ways, but its timing stands out: The debate is the earliest in US history by about three months, so it may have significantly more influence in shaping either candidate’s trajectory into November, especially among the 20% of voters who say they’re still undecided.

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Ultimately, the match-up “may be one of the more consequential in American history,” former Barack Obama strategist David Axelrod said.

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