Photo Gallery: Americans watch Trump and Biden in election debate

HAMILTON, Ohio -- U.S. President Joe Biden and his Republican rival, erstwhile President Donald Trump, met for the archetypal wide predetermination debate of the 2024 season — a accidental for the candidates to effort to reshape the governmental communicative and transportation undecided voters.

Thursday’s 90-minute statement was held successful Atlanta and hosted by CNN. Americans with varying opinions connected the nation's astir pressing issues gathered astatine venues crossed the state for ticker parties.

Elaine Freeman, a Trump protagonist from Oxford, Ohio, and worker astatine the section Veterans Affairs hospital, said the system is the astir important contented successful this election. For her family, the outgo of surviving is excessively precocious and she has occupation covering the outgo of basics similar groceries each week.

“For what I make, 15 years agone I would beryllium considered precocious mediate class,” said Freeman, who watched astatine an lawsuit successful Hamilton, Ohio. “I should not beryllium surviving paycheck to paycheck.”

Adriana Varea, a argumentation and authorities chap for the League of United Latin American Citizens, said migration is simply a immense contented and that weapon power should beryllium addressed. She said she goes to schoolhouse successful Lewiston, Maine, the tract of a wide shooting successful 2023 successful which 18 radical were killed.

"Gun power is decidedly thing that I’m passionate about,” said Varea, who was astatine a statement watching lawsuit successful Las Vegas.

Reginald Marsh, proprietor of the M Lounge successful the South Loop vicinity of Chicago, watched with customers and said there's not 1 apical contented for him.

“I conscionable judge Trump is unsafe for this country,” helium said.

London’s Bar & Grill successful McAllen, Texas, is usually large connected a time adjacent to the weekend, but the owners said they were amazed truthful galore were quiescent and engaged with the debate.

Hector Mercado, a subject seasoned donning a beret who lives successful Edinburg, Texas, said helium liked what Trump said astir closing the border.

Virginia Lopez was besides astatine the Texas barroom and said she's an undecided voter.

“I truly consciousness that 1 of them — the Republican, I’m disappointed with what he’s done — with his behavior," she said. "And the different one, I conscionable consciousness similar he’s excessively old.”