President Joe Biden and Republican front-runner Donald Trump are gearing up for Thursday's CNN presidential debate, the first between the two during the 2024 election season.
Like everything else about the Democratic and Republican rivals, their debate preparations are at odds with each other.
How is Biden preparing for the debate?
Not surprisingly, Biden is using a tried-and-tested script to prepare for the debate, which he reportedly did by flying with senior advisers to Camp David, a private retreat in the secluded Maryland mountains that has long been a popular venue for presidents to prep for debates.
Advisers told ABC News that Biden will likely focus on Trump's record as president and his recent campaign comments on reproductive rights, the economy and immigration. Another challenge for Biden could be that Trump has said he plans to be a dictator from day one in office.
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Those hoping to see Biden's edgier “Dark Brandon” alter-ego onstage may be disappointed: Advisers say Biden will appear more disciplined onstage, deliberately offering a contrast to Trump's chaotic style.
Biden is experiencing that style first-hand this week — or as close to it as he can get without Trump present. Biden's personal lawyer, Bob Bauer, is rumored to be representing Trump in the mock debate at Camp David, according to Politico. This would be a repeat of his role in prepping for the 2020 debates, where Bauer's job was to anticipate how Trump would attack Biden onstage.
He told Politico that the goal of these mock debates is to “replicate as closely as possible how that person, that opponent, would perform in a debate…. But it's not about big-time theatrics. This is not a Saturday Night Live imitation. We don't want to distract from the serious work of preparing a candidate.”
How is Trump preparing for the debate?
Trump has reportedly taken a cautious approach to debate preparation, spending much of the week campaigning, but that doesn't mean the debate is far from his mind, as he spoke at length about the upcoming debate during a 90-minute rally on Saturday.
He mocked Biden's visit to Camp David, telling a crowd in Philadelphia that “Crooked Joe has reportedly gone off to his log cabin to study and prepare” at the moment.
Trump insisted that was false: “No, he hasn't. He's asleep right now because they want to make sure he's good and strong.”
The former president suggested Biden would be given cocaine to enhance his performance in the debate, saying, “Shortly before the debate he'll be given an injection in his butt… He'll come out all fired up… Where on earth is all that cocaine that disappeared a month ago?”
Republican officials have warned that the rhetoric that's popular with Trump's supporters at rallies may not hold up as well in a debate, with The Hill newspaper reporting that Senate Republicans have urged Trump to tone down his personal attacks during the debate.
“If I were President Trump, I would talk about the right way or the wrong way,” Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Hill. “I don't think he needs to be overly aggressive.”
Despite his hyperbolic rhetoric, Trump is preparing for the debate in a nontraditional way: He's been meeting with policy experts and advisers between rallies and fundraisers, according to ABC News, and has also held sessions with experts on immigration, the economy and democracy.
Thursday's debate will likely reveal how Trump and Biden's different styles resonate with voters. The CNN presidential debate will be available on CNN at 9 p.m. ET or simulcast on USA Today.
