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It was an inauspicious glimpse of what would become a historic night. The first and last debate between Biden and Donald Trump leading to Vice President Kamala Harris Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket. She'll have her own chance in the spotlight Tuesday as she meets Trump in another debate. She's been hunkered down to prepare with her team, intent on maintaining the momentum that's breathed new life into Democrats' chances this year.

Trump, in a recent interview with a New Hampshire radio host, said he was prepared to face Harris after his encounter with Biden.

69制片厂制作传媒淗e was not good,69制片厂制作传媒� Trump said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚 hope she69制片厂制作传媒檚 not going to be good, too.69制片厂制作传媒�

A look back at the June 27 debate holds for Harris and warnings for Trump, whose rambling and occasional incoherence was overshadowed by Biden's stumbles.

The first hurdle is understanding the optics of the event.

Optics are important in debates

Ever since Richard Nixon lost the first televised presidential debate to John F. Kennedy in 1960, political experts have treated them like visual spectacles. Biden looked pale onstage and he appeared dazed, his mouth slightly agape, when Trump was talking.

69制片厂制作传媒淭his is an Instagram, Facebook, TikTok society," said Michael LaRosa, a former spokesperson for first lady Jill Biden. "Visuals matter."

LaRosa said Harris needs to be poised at all times because images of her reacting to Trump's comments can be as potent as when it's her turn to talk. Her presentation will be closely scrutinized because she's less well-known than Trump's, meaning that Americans are still making up their minds about her.

Biden also struggled to make a lucid case for his platform or land solid attacks on Trump.

For example, during a question about the economy, Biden started talking about how the country could invest in education and social services if there were higher taxes on the wealthy. But he lost his train of thought and glanced down at his lectern. When he looked up, he inexplicably said, 69制片厂制作传媒淟ook, we finally beat Medicare.69制片厂制作传媒�

He was out of time. 69制片厂制作传媒淭hank you, President Biden,69制片厂制作传媒� said Jake Tapper, one of the moderators.

As the camera caught Biden looking confused by his own answer, Trump pounced. "He beat it to death. And he69制片厂制作传媒檚 destroying Medicare.69制片厂制作传媒�

Biden mangled his answers

The next topic was abortion, a galvanizing issue for Democrats after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.

Trump spoke first, claiming that eliminating the national right to abortion was 69制片厂制作传媒渟omething that everybody wanted.69制片厂制作传媒�

69制片厂制作传媒淓very legal scholar, throughout the world, the most respected, wanted it brought back to the states. I did that," he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淣ow the states are working it out.69制片厂制作传媒�

The answer was false and evasive, as Trump tried to simultaneously take credit for the anti-abortion movement's historic victory and dodge anger over the result.

Biden's response started succinctly.

69制片厂制作传媒淚t69制片厂制作传媒檚 been a terrible thing what you69制片厂制作传媒檝e done,69制片厂制作传媒� he said, adding that it was 69制片厂制作传媒渞idiculous69制片厂制作传媒� to suggest there was a consensus around getting rid of Roe v. Wade. Biden said Trump's view was like saying that 69制片厂制作传媒渨e69制片厂制作传媒檙e going to turn civil rights back to the states, let each state have a different rule.69制片厂制作传媒�

Then Biden veered off in an unexpected direction, perhaps prompted by Trump's support for exceptions to abortion bans if a woman is raped. He brought up Trump's concern about crimes committed by migrants, then said that "there69制片厂制作传媒檚 a lot of young women who are being raped by their in-laws, by their spouses, brothers and sisters.69制片厂制作传媒�

69制片厂制作传媒淎nd when those women get pregnant, they can do nothing about it," Biden said. 69制片厂制作传媒淎nd they try to arrest them when they cross state lines.69制片厂制作传媒�

Paul Begala, a veteran Democratic strategist, described Biden's answer as bizarre.

69制片厂制作传媒淗e took his strongest issue," meaning abortion, 69制片厂制作传媒渁nd talked about his weakest issue,69制片厂制作传媒� border security.

Democratic panic started early

They were 15 minutes into a 90-minute debate and, Begala said, "My phone was exploding with texts from other Democratic strategists who were saying, 'Oh my God, it69制片厂制作传媒檚 over.69制片厂制作传媒�69制片厂制作传媒�

After Biden tripped over an answer on immigration, Trump responded with mockery.

69制片厂制作传媒淚 really don69制片厂制作传媒檛 know what he said at the end of that sentence,69制片厂制作传媒� he said. 69制片厂制作传媒淚 don69制片厂制作传媒檛 think he knows what he said either.69制片厂制作传媒�

While the debate was still underway, the White House said Biden was suffering from a cold. And in the days afterward, Biden said he had been dealing with jet lag from overseas travel.

But the damage was done. Biden had already been struggling to convince voters that he could serve as president until he was 86, which was how old he would be at the end of a second term. Now he had seemingly confirmed the country's worst fears about his fitness for office.

Begala said Harris' relative youth 69制片厂制作传媒� she turns 60 next month 69制片厂制作传媒� is an enormous benefit, particularly when Trump is 78.

69制片厂制作传媒淓very day that she wakes up and she69制片厂制作传媒檚 not 81, she69制片厂制作传媒檚 a break with Biden," he said.

Trump provides no shortage of vulnerabilities in debates. He's forceful but hyperbolic and frequently dishonest. Sometimes he rambles about his grievances, which might entertain his faithful fans at political rallies but is a poor fit for a one-on-one debate.

Former President Bill Clinton had his own advice for facing off with Trump 69制片厂制作传媒� show that he's only out for himself.

69制片厂制作传媒淭he next time you hear him, don69制片厂制作传媒檛 count the lies, count the I69制片厂制作传媒檚,69制片厂制作传媒� he said at the Democratic National Convention.