ATLANTA — All eyes were on Atlanta as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off on the debate stage Thursday night at CNN's Midtown studio. This marked the first debate ahead of the hotly contested November election.
During the 90-minute event, the candidates spoke about a range of topics, including abortion and immigration.
Protesters also gathered near the debate site. The debate and several other significant events taking place near downtown Atlanta caused increased traffic, road closures, and heavy police presence throughout the day.
Follow our updates below.
Updates
11:52 p.m. | Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said that President Joe Biden missed an opportunity to "tighten up his message."
Dickens said that it was a tough debate to watch as former Donald Trump's message was not filled with truths and that Biden struggled to get his message across.
"Speak clearly, talk plainly, talk confidently," Dickens stated.
He also took the time to express his support for the current president and what he has done for the country.
"Joe Biden has done a magnificent job in supporting cities, and I'm standing with him," Dickens stated.
11:50 p.m. | Vivek Ramaswamy spoke with reporters and said it was clear to him that former President Donald Trump won the debate.
"He exceeded my own high expectations," he said. "He hands down won this debate."
11:48 p.m. | 11Alive breaks down the biggest moments during the debate. During the 90 minutes, the economy and abortion rights were top topics.
11:45 p.m. | 11Alive's Angelina Salcedo explains how demonstrators have been outside for hours protesting the war in Gaza and demanding a ceasefire.
11:42 p.m. | A political scientist spoke to 11Alive following the debate and deemed this "a debate of the past."
11:38 p.m. | Lara Trump spoke to media in Atlanta shortly after former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden faced off in their first debate of the election season.
"I certainly think anyone who watched that debate can no doubt come away knowing that Donald Trump is the true leader and the leader we need," Trump said.
11:36 p.m. | President Joe Biden attends a watch party post-debate. He encouraged voters to stay engaged during the election season.
11:25 p.m. | President Joe Biden interacts with supporters following the presidential debate.
President Joe Biden interacts with supporters following debate in Atlanta
11:14 p.m. | Congresswoman Nikema Williams spoke to 11Alive after the presidential debate. She said she's still waiting on Donald Trump's response to childcare in the U.S.
"We had a clear contrast on stage," Williams stated. "We had one person on stage telling lie after lie after lie. And that was Donald Trump -- our former failed president. And then we had President Joe Biden, who is battling a cold. Maybe he needed a cough drop tonight, but I did hear the substance of the policies that President Biden talked about."
Williams said that when Biden leads, he leads for the entire country instead of divisive politics.
"Georgia is a true battleground state. That means that we have to fight for every single vote," Williams stated.
11 p.m. | Harry Dunn, a former Capitol Police Officer who defended the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, reacted to the presidential debate on Thursday.
"Donald Trump did a lot of lying on that stage," Dunn said. "My initial takeaway is that the president saw it too but he stayed very good on staying on his message, on the facts, staying honest about what his administration is and what another President Trump administration would look like."
Dunn said that he believes that there is one clear choice in this election: Joe Biden.
"It was very insulting the lies that the police officers ushered the people in the building," Dunn stated.
9 p.m. | You can watch as President Biden and former President Donald Trump face off in the debate in Atlanta:
Presidential Debate in Atlanta
8:06 p.m. | 11Alive's Angelina Salcedo is monitoring as protesters gather across the bridge from where the presidential debate is being held.
8 p.m. | Sen. Raphael Warnock discusses the presidential debate. Warnock is backing fellow Democrat Joe Biden in the upcoming general election.
6:47 p.m. | Protesters gathered at 10th St. NW and Spring St. NW in Atlanta ahead of the presidential debate to ask for a ceasefire and support from both candidates.
Free Palestine protest ahead of presidential debate in Atlanta
6:40 p.m. | 11Alive breaks down the significance of Thursday's presidential debate.
6:27 p.m. | Former President Donald Trump waved to the crowd after getting off "Trump Force One" as he prepared for his debate against President Joe Biden in Atlanta.
5:55 p.m. | 11Alive breaks down how this debate is historic in multiple ways.
5:53 p.m. | 11Alive's Angelina Salcedo describes how protests are expected to happen simultaneously with the presidential debate.
5:49 p.m. | 11Alive's Doug Richards breaks down what politicians are expecting from Thursday's debate.
5:42 p.m. | Three motorcades are shutting down traffic around town. The northbound connector will be shut down from Hartsfield-Jackson to Midtown.
5:41 p.m. | 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross describes how people were waiting for hours for the arrival of former President Donald Trump in Atlanta.
5:37 p.m. | Here's a look at First Lady Jill Biden's motorcade on the move in metro Atlanta
5:32 p.m. | With former President Donald Trump just landing at Hartsfield-Jackson, get ready for a complete closure of the connector Northbound heading from the airport in Midtown Atlanta.
5:21 p.m. | Former President Donald Trump arrives in Atlanta.
5:12 p.m. | There are ongoing traffic alerts across metro Atlanta as FLOTUS' motorcade makes its way.
4:51 p.m. | 11Alive's traffic expert Crash Clark continues to track traffic impacts as Dr. Jill Biden's motorcade moves through.
4:45 p.m. | 11Alive's Kaitlyn Ross is at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport awaiting the arrival of former president Donald Trump.
4:30 p.m. | First Lady Dr. Jill Biden arrives at Dobbins Air Force Base ahead of the debate. Watch:
4:15 p.m. | President Joe Biden stopped to greet supporters in downtown Atlanta while on his way to the CNN Presidential Debate.
4 p.m. | 11Alive's Faith Jessie spoke with NBC's Sr. Washington Correspondent Hallie Jackson ahead of the debate. Jackson provided some insight into the debate:
3:50 p.m. | Gov. Brian Kemp spoke with 11Alive Anchor Faith Jessie ahead of the election, sharing what he believes should be Trump's strategy to sway undecided voters.
"I think he can make a really big contrast to make it a "pocket-book election," the governor said, citing the economy as one of voters' biggest concerns, "but he (Trump) cannot get distracted on other issues that I'm sure President Biden will try to take him down."
Watch his full remarks in the video below:
3:47 p.m. | Atlanta mayor Andre Dickens posted a photo as President Joe Biden landed for the debate.
3:45 p.m. | Here's a look at President Biden's motorcade as it moved through Atlanta.
3:34 p.m. | 11Alive's traffic expert, Crash Clark, is tracking the impacts of Biden's motorcade.
3:20 p.m. | Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Ambassador Andrew Young Stacey Abrams and other former Atlanta leaders greeted the president as he landed.
3:14 p.m. | President Biden arrives at Dobbins Air Reserve Base. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Stacey Abrams and other former Atlanta leaders greeted the president as he landed.
Biden arrives on Air Force One
Watch the arrival of the player below.
1:51 p.m. | The White House announces that Air Force 1 is "wheels up" and headed to Georgia. President Biden is expected to land at Dobbins Air Reserve Base around 3 p.m.
12:52 p.m | 11Alive's Zach Merchant provided a behind-the-scenes look at the "spin room" ahead of the debate.
11:37 a.m. | Traffic control is underway Thursday morning as 11Alive's Karys Belger reports barricades being placed in Midtown ahead of the debate.
11:20 a.m. | The City of Atlanta announces a traffic advisory ahead of events in downtown Atlanta.
7:49 a.m. | Protesters from Atlanta Against Genocide shut down an intersection at a Smyrna industrial area, demanding a local refrigeration tech company, Hudson Technologies, end its relationship with the Israeli military amid conflicts in Gaza.
In a release, the activists cited the presidential debate, slamming both candidates for "supporting genocide and ethnic cleansing."
"It's fitting that this debate is happening in Atlanta - a city where democracy is being eroded and where residents are being denied an opportunity to vote on the fate of Cop City. Amidst this political landscape, direct action is our only option," a release from the group read.
