Early yesterday morning, South African time, saw the first of three Presidential debates between incumbent US President, Donald Trump, and challenger, former Vice-President Joe Biden. With just over 30 days until voting happens on 3rd November and with early voting already underway in some states, the stakes were high as both candidates sought to frame the other as unfit for public office.
Trump attacked Biden’s lack of success (according to Trump) over his long career, and suggested that “There has never been an administration or president who has done more than I’ve done in a period of three and a half years, and that’s despite the impeachment hoax.”
Trump, when asked to condemn white supremacists and right-wing militias and ask them not to contribute to the violence in cities, said “I ask them to stand back and standby, but I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left.”
Biden attacked Trump for his record on Covid-19, and his opposition to the affordable healthcare act, commonly known as Obamacare. However, he dodged questions about whether he would pack the Supreme Court and when asked to condemn left wing agitators such as Antifa, Biden quoted a senior member of the FBI who said Antifa is “an idea not an organization”.
Both candidates also traded more personal barbs, Trump attacked Biden, about his son’s drug addiction and mocked Biden’s intelligence saying, “There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
Biden tried to shut Trump down by calling him a “liar”, a “clown” and asking, “Will you shut up, man?” Biden also several times refused to talk directly to Trump.
The debate was moderated by Chris Wallace, a Fox News host, who scolded Trump repeatedly for not following the debate rules by interrupting saying later to both candidates, “Gentlemen, I hate to raise my voice, but why shouldn’t I be different than the two of you?”
Post-debate polls of those who watched the debate are mixed, some suggested Biden had won by a large margin whilst others suggested a closer debate.
The next debate will be the Vice-Presidential debate between Biden’s running mate, Kamala Harris, and Mike Pence, Trump’s Number Two, on October 7th (October 8th on South African time) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The second Presidential debate is due to be held in the middle of next month in Florida.