Trump-Biden Debate Number 1 Is Over

It’s OVER!

Thank goodness!

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“The angriest Presidential debate in American history.”

“A relentless attack on Joe Biden…”

“In the end, Biden ignored the rules as well.”

“What we got was a dogfight.”

“Mr Trump was far less honest than Mr. Biden.”

–– characterizations by the BBC on the First Trump v Biden Presidential Debate

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Despite the absence of fawning sycophants to which Trump usually plays, it was a Trump-modulated shitshow from the outset.

The BBC characterized it as “acrimonious” and “chaotic.”

That was being diplomatic, no doubt.

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‘Voters were the losers’

by Laura Trevelyan
BBC World News America Presenter
Cleveland, Ohio

Ninety minutes, 73 interruptions

It was a chaotic, confusing and combative night. For undecided voters seeking clarity, there was little to be had here in Cleveland. Bluster and crosstalk were the hallmarks of this debate, with President Trump ignoring the rules, and attacking his challenger, while Joe Biden insulted his opponent right back.

The president needed to change the dynamic of this race – and while his loyal base of supporters will love his no holds barred approach, it remains to be seen if the older voters and college-educated women who have been slipping away from Trump will return after tonight.

Nervous Democrats who feared their man might stumble and seem out of touch will be somewhat reassured. Policy discussions almost always devolved into cat fights – the loser was the voter seeking an elevated level of discourse.

Coronavirus was the longest segment tonight, with around 20 minutes spent on the pandemic’s economic impact, vaccines, masks and Trump’s general handling of the crisis.

Next up was race and violence at 17 minutes, followed by election integrity at 11 minutes and climate change with 10 minutes.

Trump spoke – surprisingly perhaps – less than Biden, with around 38 minutes, compared to 43 minutes taken up by the former vice-president.

When it comes to interruptions, however, the president cut in some 73 times. (In 2016, the fact that Trump interrupted then-rival Hillary Clinton 37 times at one debate raised eyebrows – but that was then, this is now.)

Trump also got the lion’s share of follow-ups from Wallace, with 15 compared to Biden’s four, and had 14 rebuttals to Biden’s nine.

For the duration of the night, almost all guests wore masks.

The exceptions?

Members of Trump’s family, including the president’s son Donald Trump, Jr.

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Reactions were swift and brutal after the exceptionally tense and combative presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

CNN’s chief Washington correspondent, Jake Tapper, characterized the debate as a “hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck.” He was seconded by CNN’s chief political correspondent, Dana Bash, who called the debate, “a s*** show.”

ABC News chief anchor George Stephanopoulos put his feelings in context:
“I have to speak personally here, as someone who’s watched presidential debates for 40 years, as somebody who’s moderated presidential debates, as someone who’s prepared candidates for presidential debates, as someone who’s covered presidential debates, that was the worst presidential debate I have ever seen in my life.”
https://apps.npr.org/liveblogs/20200929-debate/share/cable-news-hosts-react-to-114.html

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Trump was his usual assholey rude SOB self.

Try as he might, he could NOT rattle Biden.

And that’s a GOOD thing.

But moreover, the Asshole in Chief has made it necessary to consider changes to the debate format as follows:

1.) Moderators should be given MUTE buttons.

2.) Mics should be put on 2 minute timers, then cut OFF.

3.) Interruptions and other such rudeness should be PUNISHED by REMOVING TIME from the offender, and giving extra time to the opponent. For example, each interruption – no matter how brief – removes at least 15 seconds from the violator, and gives that amount to the opponent.

THAT would provide some motivation to the participants to behave.