The stakes are high as the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections is set to kick off Thursday night.
Democratic President Joe Biden will be facing off against former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, at CNN's Atlanta studios.
The candidates will be facing off against each other for the first time this election cycle in a 90-minute debate that promises to draw a majority of American viewers -- literally, perhaps.
According to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, roughly 6 in 10 U.S. adults are planning on watching or reviewing the debate in some form.
A majority of Democrats polled see the debate as critically important to the future of Biden's campaign.
Considering Biden's troubling performance over recent years, an hour and a half spent squaring off against Trump on live television may not be the best way to bolster his chances of winning in November.
Biden's mental health will be on full display as he faces Trump alone, giving the sitting president an opportunity to dispel (or confirm) any doubts about his ability to shoulder the burden of the Oval Office.
Far from his quick and clear rhetoric as a senator and vice president, Biden's decline became apparent in the run-up to 2020's general elections.
Biden's behavior was concerning enough at the time that even political liberals doubted his fitness to lead from the White House.
Since his inauguration, the president has confused the names of people and places, as well as key facts relating to whatever he may be speaking about.
Sometimes he even derails the conversation completely unprompted to babble about an unrelated topic.
Anyone paying attention to Biden's condition over the last four years knows his apparent mental troubles are just the tip of the iceberg. His physical condition, as evidenced by his ongoing battle with stairs, is also in question.
Even with the help of shorter and simpler steps, the president still struggles to ascend into Air Force One.
The general public's view of Biden is one thing - it's carefully crafted by select White House appearances, pre-chosen questions from reporters and a healthy dose of mainstream media cooperation.
What Americans will see Thursday night is likely to be something else entirely.
According to CNN's debate rules, Biden will have to make it through the entire debate with no props or pre-written notes of any kind. There will be two commercial breaks, during which campaign staff are forbidden to interact with candidates.
The rules, which apply to Trump as well, allow for the candidates to each have a pen, paper and a bottle of water. Candidates' microphones will be muted unless it is their turn to speak.
The margin of error is razor-thin for Biden. With the nation watching, even a single mental lapse could cost him dearly.
The stakes are clear even to the mainstream media. Earlier this month, political analyst Elise Jordan appeared on MSNBC and warned Biden cannot risk a "senior moment" during the debate.
There is also serious concern that Biden may be getting pharmaceutical assistance to offset his mental and physical decline while on stage.
Representative Ronny Jackson even floated the possibility of drug testing Biden before the debate.
With only hours left to go until the debate, Biden's handlers are in an unenviable position as their ward is set to shuffle on stage and out of their reach in front of millions of Americans.
