The 2024 presidential debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump left viewers across the US feeling a sense of dread and alarm. Photographers captured Americans’ reactions to the debate, ranging from shock and disappointment to frustration and alarm. Despite poor debate performances not necessarily spelling doom for presidential campaigns, they do not help either.
One watch party at Broadway Bowl in South Portland, Maine, saw attendees like Karen Sellinger and Bonnie Weissberg reacting with exasperation as Trump spoke. Rosemarie DeAngelus, another attendee, noted that Biden “just didn’t have the spark that we needed tonight.” Despite this poor performance, the 2012 presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney was also disastrous but Obama went on to defeat Romney and win a second term.
The 2024 debate was seen as Biden’s chance to come out strong and assuage voters’ concerns about his age and fitness. However, his poor performance failed to do so, reigniting speculation about potential replacements if Biden drops out of the race. In Washington DC people gathered to watch the intense emotions and reactions sparked by the event.