Biden falters in high-stakes debate, Trump spews falsehoods
The contest was seen as a test of each man's fitness for office.
In a historic clash of personality and policy, Joe Biden and Donald Trump took the stage for the first presidential debate of the 2024 election.
The showdown provided a rare opportunity for both candidates to move the needle in what has been a stubbornly tight race for the White House, but at the end of the night, Biden's halting performance raised new concerns among Democrats and cause Republicans to celebrate.
The debate was a rematch for Biden and Trump, who faced each other twice in 2020, but a first-of-its-kind format and a vastly different political landscape presented new challenges for the two rivals.
Top headlines:
Biden defends economic record in 1st exchange of the night
Biden fielded the first question from moderator Jake Tapper, who asked him what his message was to Americans who feel worse off financially under his administration than they did under Trump.
Biden claimed he was handed an economy in "free fall." He touted his record on job creation and lowering prescription drug prices and other household costs.
Trump, in turn, claimed he he had "the greatest economy in the history of our country" and that inflation is "absolutely killing us."
Candidates take the stage
Biden and Trump are now at the lecterns. The two entered from different sides of the stage and did not shake hands.
Melania Trump not attending debate
ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott reported that Melania Trump will not be at the debate.
The former first lady has made few appearances on the campaign trail as her husband seeks another term.
Biden pokes fun at Trump's jabs about performance-enhancing substances
Biden posted a photo on x taking a shot at Trump's allegations that he's taking performance-enhancing substances for the debate.
The president is seen holding a can of water with the "Dark Brandon" meme image claiming to be "Dark Brandon's secret sauce." The can, which will go on sale on the Biden campaign's site next month, has a statement in bold letters "Get real, Jack. It's just water."
"I don't know what they've got in these performance enhancers, but I'm feeling pretty jacked up. Try it yourselves, folks. See you in a bit," the X post said.
Debate impact wanes amid polarization, viral competition: Experts
As Biden and Trump prepare to square off in their first political debate in four years, historians and experts contend the matchup may have a small but crucial impact on the election.
Aaron Kall, director of debate for the University of Michigan's Debate Program, told ABC News the majority of those who tune in are likely already locked into a preferred candidate.
"Nothing that occurs during the 90-minute debate is going to change or influence who they're going to vote for," he said.
However, Kall and other experts ABC News spoke with said there is still a smaller group of undecided voters who do tune in and can be swayed by the performances.
With the last two presidential elections decided by just tens of thousands of votes in a few states -- many cast by independent voters -- candidates' debate strategies have become laser-focused on courting that group, according to Julien Labarre, administrator of the University of California Santa Barbara's Center of Information Technology & Society.
"What we see is people who were not thinking of going to vote being turned into voters," he told ABC News. "Spurring people into participation, we do see that kind of effect."
-ABC News' Ivan Pereira