The main focus of the debate is not on Biden's endurance but rather on Trump's self-control.

The main focus of Thursday's presidential debate is whether Joe Biden can succeed.

Can the elderly president, plagued by concerns about his endurance and mental acuity, effectively convey confidence and vigor in order to shift the campaign discourse?

But I would suggest that may be the wrong question.

If the president doesn't wander into the curtains, he will likely give a strong performance after a week of preparation at Camp David, even if he stumbles, mixes things up, or appears frail.

Biden will surpass the unrealistically low expectations set by Trump, his Republican supporters, and conservative commentators.

Despite the deeply ingrained portrayal of Trump's last-minute effort to correct course, it is insignificant compared to Biden's destruction of Paul Ryan in the 2012 debate.

If Biden manages to maintain his performance, the majority of the media will proclaim him the victor and assert that he surpassed expectations.

The main focus of the CNN debate, in my opinion, is on Donald Trump.

The anti-Trump media is intensifying its efforts to convey that the former president is becoming unfit.

At his rallies, Trump frequently engages in lengthy monologues, which he believes are amusing the audience with humorous anecdotes that are sometimes exaggerated or self-deprecating.

Through his stream-of-consciousness digressions and detours, Trump, 78, is appearing to his critics as showing his age.

Trump recounted a story during his weekend appearances in Philadelphia about a boat owner who claimed they couldn't switch to electric power because the batteries were too large and would sink the boats.

And then there was his familiar lament about showers.

Trump boasted about his love for washing his hair, claiming it makes it thicker, and then the water trickles down in a slow drip, drip, drip. I'm sure the showers at Mar-a-Lago, Bedminister, and Trump Tower have plenty of pressure.

Trump is skilled at performing for cheering crowds and maintaining a strong demeanor during debates.

His level of discipline is what most people are missing. Trump is capable of turning it on for as long as necessary.

I have personal experience with the former president. During an hour-long interview at Mar-a-Lago, he demonstrated sharpness and substance.

Trump effortlessly answered questions on various topics, including abortion, immigration, Israel, indictments, Tik Tok, retribution, law enforcement, and more, some of which had just emerged hours earlier. Although he made a few sarcastic remarks, particularly about the 2020 election, he remained focused and on-topic, even when discussing something he had done in 1985. Trump admitted that he sometimes used inflammatory language to generate media attention.

No one believes that Trump won't retaliate with low blows against Biden.

As I see it, both Biden and Trump will perform well. However, since the president has been criticized for being old and frail, the media will declare him the winner.

The bigger surprise in the Atlanta studio will be the more disciplined Trump, who will be aided by the lack of an audience and the muted-mic rule, which will keep him from the constant interruptions that marred his first debate in 2020.

Trump appears more presidential, which may change the minds of Republicans and independents who were against him but might now be swayed by his more controlled demeanor.

It's not just Joe Biden who can present a different persona; debates are unpredictable and I could be wrong.

Both presidents will be rusty in the upcoming debate, as neither has debated in four years. However, Trump has an advantage because he frequently engages in TV, radio, and podcast interviews, which allows him to hone his responses. In contrast, the incumbent is not as experienced in sparring with journalists, as he tends to avoid them and respond with terse, shouted questions.