Stephen King has shared his thoughts on the presidential debate that took place Thursday night, likening it to a boxing match.
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump faced off in their first presidential debate in Atlanta, Georgia, as they sought to win over undecided voters, as polls show the two candidates locked in a close race a little more than four months before the election. The two men sparred on issues including the economy, abortion and immigration. Political observers view the election as one of the most important races in modern history.
King has previously said that he joined the Democratic Party in 1970 and regularly shares his political opinions online, and now he has expressed his disapproval of the format of the debate.
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for King for comment on Friday.
“DEBATE NIGHT IN AMERICA! Sweet Jesus! The networks are packaging this as entertainment, like a boxing match, and selling democracy down the river. It’s a shame,” the critically acclaimed author posted on X, formerly Twitter.
DEBATE NIGHT IN AMERICA! Sweet Jesus! The networks are packaging this as entertainment, like a boxing match, and selling democracy down the river. It’s a shame.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 28, 2024
At the time of writing, his post had been viewed 1.4 million times.
King’s posts are often divisive, and this post was no different. Some people took to the comments to show their support for Trump or Biden and others showed their support for the debate.
“Steve, presidential debates are enshrined in and required by the Constitution. This is the dictionary definition of democracy, which America invented,” one person wrote.
“Trump is going to win in a landslide and return America to normalcy,” someone else commented.
A third person added: “UNPRECEDENTED. This is the first time in U.S. history that a sitting President will debate an ‘insurrectionist’ who’s also a ‘convicted criminal.’”
John Lamparski/WireImage
Others agreed with King, slamming the debate in itself, with one person writing: “The hype around this is ridiculous.”
“Quite true, it’s both infotainment and Friday night fights all rolled into one. Will it be the Thrilla in Manila? Will we see the Rope-a-Dupe at play? This isn’t really a debate. Sadly our democracy is in the balance,” a different X user commented.
“Never been more happy to miss a debate. Wake me when Spetember [sic] Ends—most undecided Americans,” said another.
In light of recent polls showing Biden closing the gap with Trump but still trailing in several battleground states, Biden needed to perform well in the debate. Voters have expressed concerns about his age, despite a positive medical report from his physician Kevin O’Connor earlier this year.
During the debate, Biden drew scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats alike. His voice sounded hoarse, particularly as the debate began, and his answers at times seemed muddled. As the debate approached the midpoint, he seemed a bit sharper. But he is still facing a wave of criticism over his performance, including new calls for him to step down from the campaign. A Biden aide, however, told Newsweek that the president was battling a cold during the debate.
Like Biden, Trump also needed a strong debate performance. His standing in the polls has weakened in recent weeks, following a Manhattan jury finding him guilty of falsifying business documents. The conviction has had a minor, yet notable, effect on his polls, as Biden has gained ground.
Trump appeared more alert throughout the debate and largely avoided fueling concerns about his age. Some Democrats noted that he performed stronger than Biden.
However, he made several inaccurate claims throughout the night, including that the Biden administration supports abortions “after birth.” The Biden administration, nor the Democratic Party, has not supported post-birth abortions.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
via The Novum Times
The Novum Times 