From the first question about the appropriateness of naming a Supreme Court justice nominee to the winding, argumentative journey through health care, the COVID-19 response, the economy, taxes, racial equity and finally, honoring the vote, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden squared off in the first of three presidential debates Tuesday night.
With moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News struggling to maintain organized questioning through the 90-minute encounter, the candidates verbally attacked each other, interrupted each other and parried from response to response as a national audience of would-be voters measured the candidates’ policies and fitness for office.
They were left with brief moments of policy discussion interspersed with personal insults and challenges, with Biden, the challenger, at one point saying to Trump: “You are the worst president America has ever had,” and Trump attacking the former vice president’s son, Hunter.
Moderator Wallace questioned the president on his taxes and the revelations from a New York Times investigation that he paid only $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. The president countered that it was not true and he’s paid millions of dollars in federal taxes. Fact-checking was not part of the on-air debate.
Public reaction on Twitter ranged from dismay to exhaustion to pity for Wallace caught between the two candidates, with “train wreck” and “hot mess” descriptors flying through social media as not just political pundits but average Americans struggled to make sense of the debate. When it was over, differences had emerged.
Among the takeaways and notable moments:
Biden, Trump debate the Supreme Court nominee
Wallace opened the debate asking about the Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.
Trump said he was elected for four years — not three — so he has time, even after the election, to confirm Barrett — even if he lost the election.
- “We won the election and therefore we have the right to choose her.”
Biden flipped the answer to say Trump was using the Supreme Court to end the Affordable Care Act. He mentioned women’s rights as well. Biden said people should have the right to vote to decide what happens.
- Trump said people had their say when they elected him to office. He then attacked Biden’s health care proposals, calling him a socialist.
- Biden pivoted and talked about Trump’s response to COVID-19.
- When asked what his response would be if Senate Republicans confirmed Barrett, Biden responded by saying people should go out and vote.
- “Folks, do you have any idea what this clown’s doing? He is not for any help for people needing health care,” Biden said of Trump, before saying millions of people had lost health insurance during the recession.
- The candidates spoke over each other, with Trump interrupting Biden’s rebuttal and then cutting off Wallace, who was trying to pose a question about why the president had not implemented a comprehensive plan to overturn Obamacare, a Trump campaign promise.
Gloves come off as Trump and Biden discuss the pandemic
The debate turned its attention to the coronavirus pandemic, a potential COVID-19 vaccine and how the country has responded to the virus.
Trump said he’s spoken to companies — like Pfizer — that can make the COVID-19 vaccine available a lot earlier but “it’s a political thing.”
- Trump said the military is all set up to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Biden on a COVID-19 vaccine under Trump: “I don’t trust him at all.”
- Biden: “This is the same man who said by Easter it would be gone.”
- Biden attacked Trump for his comment about injecting bleach. Trump said the comment was sarcastic.
- Biden said Trump puts pressure on his own scientists. Biden said you can trust the scientists — ones who don’t work for Trump and don’t face pressure from him.
- Biden said Trump knew about the coronavirus back in February and didn’t say anything publicly. “He either panicked or even looked at the stock market.”
- Trump says Biden would shut down the country if he had been president.
- Trump: “There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
- “If we would have listened to you, the country would have been left open,” Trump said of Biden, referring to Trump banning travelers from China from entering the U.S.
- Wallace asked Trump about being at odds with his own government’s own scientists. He also asked Trump about the efficacy of masks.
- “I wear a mask when needed,” the president said, pulling a mask from the inside of his suit pocket.
- “Masks make a big difference,” Biden said.
Taxes and economic recovery
Wallace said that the economy is recovering faster than expected. Trump has talked about a “v shape” recovery, and Biden has pushed for a “K shape” recovery.
- “We built the greatest economy in history. We closed it down because of the China plague,” Trump said.
- He said 200 million people would have died if he didn’t shut down the economy. He accused Biden of not wanting to shut the economy down.
- Trump then pivoted toward sports: “I’m the one that brought back football. By the way, I brought back Big Ten football.” He said people in Ohio are happy with him for supporting Big Ten football.
Wallace asked Trump if he will release his tax records.
- Trump said he would release them as soon as he is ready. He blamed the Obama administration’s tax laws for what he paid in taxes.
- Biden told Trump to release his tax returns.
- Biden also said to eliminate Trump’s tax cuts.
- Trump said he paid millions of dollars in taxes — a lot different than the $750 he reportedly paid in 2016, which was one of the biggest news stories from the past week.
- Trump and Biden went back and forth about how China has impacted the economy. Trump took a shot at Biden’s son Hunter Biden and allegations of his association with businesses in China.
- Biden countered, suggesting Trump’s family had conflicts of interest, then said that neither his nor the president’s family are relevant, but it is the families of those who are in need who matter. Trump said his family lost millions by coming down from New York to help run the government.
Biden and Trump on racial injustice
The conversation turned to racial injustice and race relations and how the two candidates will handle racial injustice.
- Trump said he had done more for Black Americans than any other president in history.
- Biden said: “It’s about equity, equality, decency. It’s about the Constitution. And we have never walked away from trying to require equality for all Americans.”
- Biden said there is racial insensitivity in the United States. People need to be made aware of how other people feel, what insults them, what demeans them.
- Trump said there was tremendous division during the Obama-Biden administration. He said it was worse than the division now. Trump said if Biden becomes president “our suburbs would be gone” and you would see problems you’ve never seen before.
- Biden said he is from the suburbs they are full of diversity — people from multiple backgrounds. He said the bigger threat to the suburbs is COVID-19.
Thoughts on law and order
Wallace said there has been 100 straight days of protest in Portland and asked Biden if he has ever looked to stop the protests in Portland. But Biden said he doesn’t hold public office to take that action.
Wallace also asked if Trump would condemn white supremacists and militia groups stoking the violence. The president didn’t directly condemn the groups.
- “I would say almost everything I see is from the left wing, not the right wing.”
- “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what — somebody has to do something about antifa.”
Why should voters pick you?
The two candidates debated about why voters should support them based on their records.
- Trump: “Because there has never been an administration or president who has done more than I have done in 3½ years.” He said he has found success despite the “impeachment hoax.”
- Biden: “When I was vice president, we inherited a recession. I was asked to fix it, and I did.”
Will the candidates accept the winner of the election?
Biden said he wants people to have the right to vote in the election. He said the FBI says there is no evidence that mail-in voting can cause problems.
- “You will determine the outcome of this election. Vote. Vote. Vote. Vote in whatever way is best for you.”
- Biden said he will accept the results of the election after all the votes are counted.
Trump encouraged people to vote and said there “is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen” in the upcoming election.
- “I’m urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully, because that is what has to happen,” Trump said.
- “But if I see tens of thousands ballots being manipulated, I can’t go along with that.”
The next debates will be:
- Oct. 7: Vice presidential debate in Salt Lake City
- Oct. 15: Second presidential debate in Miami
- Oct. 22: Third presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee