Biden falters in high-stakes debate, Trump spews falsehoods

Hours before the debate, first lady Jill Biden told deep-pocked donors that the president is "ready" for his faceoff against Trump.

"Joe's ready to go. He's prepared. He's confident," she said at a fundraising retreat at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Atlanta, according to the press pool. "You know what a great debater he is."

She thanked donors for "making the right choice" for democracy, urging them to keep up their work in support of Biden, according to the press pool.

"We can't stop now. We can't get complacent," the first lady said. "We've got to keep working together, working harder than we've ever worked before."

-ABC News' Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Will McDuffie

The White House Correspondents' Association is "deeply concerned" that CNN has barred travel pool reporters from being inside the studio and close to Biden during all of tonight’s historic presidential debate.

Despite "repeated requests" for White House pool access, CNN will allow only one print reporter to enter during a commercial break for a brief observation.

"That is not sufficient in our view and diminishes a core principle of presidential coverage," president of the WHCA Kelly O’Donnell said in a statement Thursday.

"The pool is there for the 'what ifs?' in a world where the unexpected does happen,” O’Donnell said.

-ABC News' Emily Chang

Just because their microphones will be turned on only when it's their turn to speak, it doesn't mean there won't be interruptions, and campaign staffers of both candidates are preparing for it.

Since the candidates are still only 8 feet apart, there is a scenario where the viewer may not hear an interruption, but the other candidate and the moderators will.

Advisers from both campaigns told reporters that's something they've acknowledged or discussed in debate preparations.

3:02

Biden and Trump to square off on debate stage with no audience, muted microphones

The debate will not feature an audience and microphones will be unmuted only when it is a candidate's turn to speak. ABC News' Rachel Scott reports from Atlanta.

ABCNews.com

The Biden campaign said it is hoping the president just flat-out ignores any distractions or comments that Trump makes.

The Trump campaign said it is aware that tonight they could play this both ways: The former president could stay on message when his microphone is turned on but make off-hand comments to irk Biden when his microphone is turned off.

When it comes to the traditional handshake between the candidates before the event, both sides are being coy.

One Biden adviser said, "I wouldn't do it," while an adviser for the Trump campaign responded simply by laughing.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott

Biden and Trump are navigating different expectations heading into the debate -- though Republicans have largely set the standards for each.

Polls show that voters share concerns about Biden's age (81 years old) and fitness for office, and Republicans have for years cast the president as a dithering man. Showing vitality, as he did during this year's State of the Union, and nimbly mixing it up with Trump, could help alleviate those worries, Democrats told ABC News.

Trump, meanwhile, has been working overtime to set his own expectations. He's repeatedly demeaned CNN -- the host -- to suggest he'll be debating behind enemy lines. And he's emphasized his unfounded claims that Biden will be on some kind of drug to enhance his performance, seemingly to undercut the prospect of a good performance by the president. Some Republicans have also been highlighting Biden's extensive resume of running races and debating.

Still, Trump's allies are setting high expectations for him, with senior adviser Jason Miller telling ABC News that Trump has demonstrated "elite stamina."

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