Presidential Debate: Disaster or Hope?

The June 27 presidential debate gave a clearer picture of what both candidates think about US policy. The overall conclusion is that President Joe Biden is mentally unstable and former President Donald Trump gave perhaps his best speech in a presidential debate. People from both parties recognize that Biden does not have the strength to hold the most demanding job in the country.

Even if you oppose Trump, don't recognize him as a candidate, or just dislike him in general, you have to admit that he was calm and professional in the debate. Moreover, I sensed a genuine interest in solving current problems for a better future. Trump clearly expresses a yearning and nostalgia for his previous role as president. After a pointless exchange about who is better at golf, Trump simply told Biden to “stop acting like a kid.” Trump is serious about America's problems, and we should look at past presidents as a core indicator of his current character.

As a college student watching the debate, I am convinced that Trump has the ability to reduce inflation, stabilize tense conflicts with foreign powers, create more jobs in the United States, and show consideration for all socio-economic classes. In addition to being able to reference his track record as president, his carefully chosen answers to the moderator's questions demonstrated his high intellect and practical experience from his previous term in office.

Biden, meanwhile, chose to attack Trump through questionable misquotes, falsely claiming that the U.S. Border Patrol endorsed him as president and claiming that zero troops had been killed during his term.

During the debate, it was impossible to ignore the tactic Biden repeatedly used when answering the moderator's questions about the bad situation America currently finds itself in.

These topics range from gasoline prices, the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, which has risen to 20% since 2020, the continuing failure of diplomatic relations with major powers such as Russia, China, and Iran, and the border crisis. Casualties such as the war in Afghanistan, where American troops were killed, certain miscarriages of justice during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the border crisis have increased under the Biden administration, and there should have been more focus on detailing these important events.

Most of his answers were blaming the Trump administration for plunging his administration into a bottomless quagmire. Biden should have directly explained the tragic events that occurred during his presidency, instead of placing the blame on someone else. Leaders should take responsibility for the negative outcomes that occur during their term.

Trump deftly countered his claims with nuanced insights into Biden's failings that he would have acted differently in his position, such as the fact that Trump had more turnover than the Biden administration.

Florida was once known as a swing state. Since COVID-19, our response compared to most states has been to increase the Republican presence. Governor Ron DeSantis has done a great job as Governor and has garnered enough support to make the presidential election. I am confident that Florida will turn Republican on November 4th and that Floridians' support for the Republican Party will continue to grow. We are currently the second “best” state in terms of tax burden, and Florida is famous for having no income tax. These values ​​are very much in line with Trump's tax cut plan to reinvigorate the economy with tax cuts.

Trump is not a perfect candidate, but I do see his growth as a politician. He has apologized for past insults and is engaging in more respectful dialogue. Overall, he is a strong man for his age, and I am optimistic about his capabilities in a future term as president.

Abraham Hill is a fourth-year political science student at the University of Florida.