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The first presidential debate usually marks a turning point in an election cycle, putting the White House contest front-and-center, even for people who previously were blissfully ignoring it. |
The televised face-off between Joe Biden and Donald Trump could do the opposite, driving away voters by reminding them of why they hated the idea of a Biden-Trump rematch in the first place. |
Breaking with tradition, Thursday's CNN forum is happening months earlier than the usual fall start to the presidential debates. If the 2020 sparring matches between Biden and Trump are any indication, Thursday's debate could quickly turn ugly. |
The slugfest four years ago was so raucous that even the debate's moderator Chris Wallace – then the anchor of "Fox News Sunday" – pronounced himself to be "sad" that it had gone so far off the rails with nastiness and interruptions. |
The second and final 2020 debate, moderated by Kristen Welker of NBC, was tamer, but the exchanges between Biden and Trump were still anything but cordial and respectful. |
The use of a mute button may help CNN moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper rein in some of the chaos but may not do much to tone down the mutual loathing between the candidates. |
That's because even months ago, many voters declared themselves fed up with the candidates and the campaign. As USA TODAY's Joey Garrison reported earlier this year, there are a large number of so-called "double haters" who can't stand either Biden or Trump. |
And while opinion polls show a tight race, they also underscore the unpopularity of both men. |
Will Thursday's debate push even more Americans into the camp of double haters? To find out, follow our gavel-to-gavel coverage on USA TODAY tomorrow. We also invite you to try your hand at presidential bingo, courtesy of USA TODAY. Click here for more details. | | | |
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