STORY: ::June 28, 2024
::Rival protesters gather in Atlanta before the presidential
debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump
::Atlanta, Georgia
Queen K/Local activist
"I'm here today because we have a debate, a national presidential debate between Biden and Trump. And I am heavily concerned one of the candidates has 34 felonies and should not even be allowed to stand on the stage, let alone run for presidency. And then we have another president who continues to ignore a lot of the concerns in this community and at the same time needs our vote."
Kishana Holland/Biden supporter
"I'm out here today for Joe Biden because he is the clear only choice in this election. We may have our, you know, problems. We may feel he may not be young enough. He may not be you know, his strength may not be there, but he's the only clear choice in this election. I don't want my reproductive rights for myself and my daughter to go back."
Jimmy/Trump supporter
"Well, inflation was very low on his administration. Groceries, gas, housing, everything was low when he was in office. Unemployment rate was even lower here in America as well, among all the other people. Among teenagers as well, it was low."
Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, will be under pressure to display their command of issues and avoid verbal stumbles as they seek a breakout moment in a race that opinion polls show has been deadlocked for months.
The 90-minute televised debate, the first between a sitting president and a former one, will air at 9 p.m. ET (0100 GMT on Friday) on CNN and takes place far earlier than normal - more than four months before the Nov. 5 Election Day.
It comes at a moment of profound polarization and deep-seated anxiety among voters about the state of American politics.
