Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says difference between Trump, Biden "could not be clearer" after debate
(CBS DETROIT) - President Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off for the first presidential debate of the year Thursday night ahead of the November election.
The debate marked the first between a sitting president and a former president.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who garnered national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic for what some called overly restrictive stay-at-home and social distancing orders, and became the center of a kidnapping plot, responded to the presidential debate.
"For hardworking people in Michigan and across the country, this election is about which candidate can do the most to make life easier for them and their families, stand up for our rights and freedoms, and leave a better country for our kids and grandkids. On these questions, the difference between Joe Biden and Donald Trump as people, and as presidents, could not be clearer.
President Biden's focus is on lowering families' costs, building an economy that works for working people, and restoring the reproductive freedom women lost the last time Donald Trump was in the White House.
Donald Trump is a convicted felon whose focus is on Donald Trump. And he's told us what he will do if he gets back into the White House. He will take his attacks on women's reproductive rights even further, try to get rid of the Affordable Care Act and spike families' health costs, and send auto jobs to China.
Joe Biden is running to serve the American people. Donald Trump is running to serve Donald Trump. The difference between Joe Biden's vision for making sure everyone in America has a fair shot and Donald Trump's dangerous, self-serving plans will only get sharper as we head toward November."
The two men talked on topics including immigration the economy, abortion and more. Mr. Biden seemed to stumble on some of his words during the debate, and sources said that he has had a cold for a couple of days.
Late into the debate Mr. Biden and Trump were asked to discuss concerns about their age, and Mr. Biden said, "I spent half of my career being criticized being the youngest person in politics. I was the second youngest person ever elected to the United States Senate and this guy's three years younger and a lot less competent. Look at what I've done."
Michigan GOP chairman and former congressman Pete Hoekstra issued the following statement after Thursday's debate:
"Joe Biden's disastrous record was on full display for America tonight, and unsurprisingly, he was unable to defend it. His policies have only hurt Michigan, and will continue to do so. After tonight's debate, it's obvious that we need President Trump's America First policies to get our country back on track."
A recent CBS News poll found that only a third of voters believe that Mr. Biden has the mental and cognitive health to lead the country, while a half of voter thinks the former president does.
The next debate between the two will happen in September.