Biden vs. Trump: A high-stakes, high-contrast debate | STAFF COMMENTARY

Even in a nation that likes its major public events with a hefty dose of superlatives (the NFL championship game isn’t the Pretty Good Bowl for a reason), the buildup to Thursday’s debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has already produced some all-pro hyperbole. Speculation has been running rampant. Will viewers see the high-energy Biden of the State of the Union address or the more low-key octogenarian of less eventful moments? Will Trump unleash the inflammatory, over-the-top performance that has become the standard at his political rallies, or tone it down and opt for something closer to presidential? There has even been talk of performance-enhancing drugs, which further fuels the pro sports comparison.

Then there’s the matter of historic circumstances. The former president carries a recent conviction on multiple felony counts. It’s the first time a current and former president face off in a TV debate. And there’s a plethora of hot-button issues to cover, including immigration and abortion. Throw in a heightened interest in mental acuity, with a 78-year-old facing an 81-year-old on the stage, and it’s not hard to see some ratings gold for CNN. The heightened public interest means the stakes are incredibly high, and the next presidential debate isn’t scheduled until September. Can the candidate who comes across in a less-than-positive light overcome any major slip-up on Thursday?

But with due respect to the drama, easily lost in the pre-debate debate is that one of these candidates is likely to serve as president, the most powerful position on the planet, for the next four years. Americans not only have an obligation to pay attention to form but, most significantly, to substance. Hardcore Trump and Biden supporters are unlikely to be swayed by what happens for 90 minutes in that TV studio in Atlanta. However, undecided voters in a handful of swing states could decide the outcome in November. And besides, don’t all Americans deserve to get a full explanation of where the candidates stand on the most critical issues of the day?

Even if Biden vs. Trump falls well short of the Lincoln-Douglas debates, when Democrat Stephen A. Douglas and Republican Abraham Lincoln went toe-to-toe in 1858 over whether slavery should be allowed in the nation’s new territories, it need not descend into lies and conspiracy theories. That puts a lot of pressure on moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper, but it also requires more from the audience. Are we tuning in for the fireworks or to learn about issues that are more complex and nuanced than 30-second TV ads ever allow? Can we hear a meaningful conversation on crime, for example, that considers cities are actually getting safer or that immigration doesn’t drive crime rates? How about a Gaza policy that supports Israel’s right to exist but not mass killings in Gaza? Or can we agree to the threat posed by climate change in the midst of a record-setting heatwave? Can our tax policies be both fair and sustainable?

No doubt there will be a lot of watch parties on Thursday night. One can imagine the event easily reduced to a college drinking game: Take a sip whenever you hear the words “loser,” “weaponization,” “crisis,” or “election interference.” Cynicism is easy; statesmanship is hard. But if the sideshow is all we can take away from this rare opportunity to explore what the candidates are thinking behind the pat phrases and campaign slogans, we have only ourselves to blame.

Cities like Baltimore face many serious issues about which the next president might be able to take meaningful action. Persistent poverty and income inequality, lack of economic diversity, substandard housing, homelessness, affordability, the threat of climate change, substance abuse, and failing infrastructure. These require more than sound bites, more than a base-energizing gotcha or two, and more than familiar promises. May the candidate who can best articulate a reasonable, detailed, common-sense map to meet these challenges be declared the victor so the rest of us can be winners, too.

Baltimore Sun editorial writers offer opinions and analysis on news and issues relevant to readers. They operate separately from the newsroom.