Drinkers at Walters Sports Bar in Washington watch the debate. They were surely entertained
Credit: Getty Images North America
Right from the off in the 90-minute debate, Mr Trump adopted a relentless approach of challenging his rival and throwing claims. The candidates did not shake hands as they took to the stage, as had been agreed due to coronavirus restrictions, and were soon trading barbs, with Mr Trump constantly interrupting his opponent.
Discussing the pandemic, Mr Biden at one point said: "A lot of people died and a lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker.” Mr Trump shot back: "You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class. Don’t ever use the word smart with me. Don’t ever use that word.”
In the early exchanges Mr Biden struggled to complete his arguments in the face of Mr Trump’s verbal assaults and made clear his exasperation at points. “It’s hard to get a word in with this clown,” he said at one point. At another he said: “This is so unpresidential.” The Democrat also gave his own biting attacks. He called Mr Trump a “racist” and “Putin’s puppy”. He joked at one point of the president: “He wouldn’t know a suburb unless he took a wrong turn.” Mr Trump’s endless interruptions left even the moderator scrambling to keep the debate flowing back and forth.
Mr Wallace said at one point: “I think that the country would be better served if we allowed both people to speak with fewer interruptions. I’m appealing to you sir to do that." Mr Trump replied: "Well, and him too." Mr Wallace said: “Well, frankly, you’ve been doing more interrupting."
‘Are you willing to condemn white supremacists?’
One of the most controversial moments came when Mr Trump was asked by the moderator “are you willing tonight to condemn white supremacist and militia groups” and say that they need to “stand down”. “Sure, I’m willing to do that,” Mr Trump initially said. “But I would say almost everything I see is from the left-wing, not from the right-wing.”
Pushed again on whether he was willing to give a categorical condemnation, Mr Trump said: “I’m willing to do anything", before adding“give me a name”. When Mr Biden mentioned the Proud Boys, a far-right and neo-fascist organisation, Mr Trump said: “Proud boys? Stand back and stand by.” It was unclear what he meant with the words “stand by” and whether it was an attempt to say “stand down”, but the call as delivered for a white supremacist group to “stand by” caused uproar.
Personal attacks on Joe Biden’s sons
As had been expected, Mr Trump found a way to bring up Hunter Biden, the former US vice-president’s son, and allegations about his international business affairs and drug use. The president said: "Your son goes in there [to China] and takes out billions of dollars to manage. While we’re at it the mayor of Moscow’s wife gave your son $3.5million. What did he do to deserve that? It’s a fact."
Mr Trump went on to detail Hunter Biden’s time working for the Ukrainian energy company Burisma. Mr Biden said his son had nothing wrong. He then turned away and looked at the camera, saying: "This is not about my family or his family. This is about your family." Mr Biden did not address the specifics of the allegations.
Later, Mr Biden talked emotionally about his son Beau, who died of cancer in 2015 after having served in Iraq. He attacked Mr Trump over a report, denied by the president, that he had referred to soldiers as "suckers" and "losers". Mr Trump said: "I don’t know Beau, I know Hunter." The president then said Hunter was thrown out of the military for drug use. Mr Biden responded "That’s not true. My son had a drug problem. He has overtaken it and I am proud of him."
Coronavirus on Trump’s watch
Mr Biden went on the offensive over the coronavirus, saying 200,000 had died on Mr Trump’s watch. "750-1,000 people a day are dying. When he was presented with that number he said ‘It is what it is,’" Mr Biden said.
"Well, it is what it is because you are who you are. That’s why it is. The president has no plan. He said he didn’t tell us or give people warning of it because he didn’t want to panic the American people."
Pointing into the camera, Mr Biden said: "You don’t panic. He panicked." Mr Trump responded: "You would have lost far more people. If we would have listened to you, the country would have been left wide open, millions of people would have died, not 200,000."
He said Mr Biden had objected to his ban on travel from China and Europe. "I closed it and you said ‘He’s a racist and he’s xenophobic’ because you didn’t think I should have closed our country." Mr Biden’s campaign has denied he opposed travel bans.
Mr Trump said his opponent couldn’t have done the job he did. "You don’t have it in your blood," he said, adding he was a "disaster" when vice president during swine flu. "14,000 people died, not 200,000," Mr Biden responded.
Law and (dis)order
Mr Trump sought to portray his Democratic rival as weak on crime. The president said: "You can’t even say the word ‘law enforcement’ because if you say those words you’re going to lose all of your radical left supporters. Why aren’t you saying those words, Joe? He’s talking about defunding the police. He has no law enforcement support."
Mr Trump challenged Mr Biden to name a law enforcement group that had endorsed him. The president said: "Who do you have? Name one group that supports you. Name one group that came out and supported you. Go ahead. Think, we have time, I don’t think there are any."
Mr Biden said there wasn’t time to answer the question. Mr Trump said: "We believe in law and order. But you don’t. The top 10 cities are run by Democrats, and [in] many cases, the radical left. And they’ve got you wrapped around your finger, Joe."
Asked by the moderator if he was in favour of law and order, Mr Biden said: "Yes, I’m in favour of law and order. Law and order with justice, where people get treated fairly."
Mr Trump went on to accuse Mr Biden of backing Bernie Sanders’ left-wing Medicare for All health plan, which he does not. "I beat Bernie Sanders," said Mr Biden. "Not by much," Mr Trump retorted.
Read more: Trump vs Biden policies
Accepting the election results
Mr Trump sidestepped a question about whether he would accept the election result once it is independently verified. He said: "If it’s a fair election, I am 100 per cent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can’t go along with that."
The president said he was asking his supporters to “go into the polls and watch very carefully" and that mail-in voting was already leading to fraud, with ballots for him found in a waste basket. Asked the same question Mr Biden said: "Yes."
Mr Trump said he expected determining the result may take "months" and it may go to the Supreme Court. He said he was his right to nominate conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett to a vacancy on the Supreme Court before the election. Mr Trump said: "We won the election. Elections have consequences. We have the Senate, we have the White House, and we have a phenomenal nominee.”
He also defended his payment of taxes after the New York Times reported on Sunday that he had paid only $750 in 2016, and again in 20017. Mr Trump said he paid "millions of dollars and you’ll get to see it."
Mr Biden interrupted, saying "Show us your tax returns," but then started talking about his own economic plan. Democrats may have regarded that as a missed opportunity to attack the president.
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