Personal attacks, chaos rule Trump and Biden's first Presidential debate
US President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden faced each other in Ohio on Tuesday (local time) for the first Presidential debate, and evidently policy talk was derailed by personal attacks and chaos. The tension was evident and at one point Biden mouthed, "Will you shut up, man!" to Trump, just as the latter tried to interrupt him. Here are the highlights.
In 90-minutes-long debate, Trump and Biden interrupted each other frequently
Moderated by Chris Wallace of "Fox News Sunday," this was the first one of the three scheduled debates. The moderator struggled to keep Trump and Biden from talking over one another in the 90-minutes-long interaction. He repeatedly said, "Gentlemen, please," but neither the incumbent nor the challenger paid any heed. As a result, the world witnessed a chaotic debate where bad tempers flew.
For Trump, coronavirus is a vulnerable-topic; Biden used the opportunity
Wallace selected six topics for today's debate — the candidates' records, Supreme Court, COVID-19, the economy, race and violence in the US, and the elections' integrity. He set aside 15 minutes for each topic. On coronavirus, which has affected the US the worst, Biden launched a sharp attack on Trump, saying the country suffered under his leadership. He suggested Trump provides "all protection needed."
Get out of your bunker: Biden told Trump
"You should get out of your bunker and get out of the sand trap and your golf course and go in your Oval Office and bring together the Democrats and Republicans and fund what needs to be done now to save lives," Biden suggested.
It is China's fault, we did well: Trump
Trump, who is convinced his administration responded in the best way, took the same tone during the debate. On the issue of wearing masks — a habit which he hasn't enforced religiously — the President showed that he was carrying a mask but declared that he would don one "when needed." He said a vaccine was coming soon and blamed China for the crisis.
Trump claimed Democrats want a shutdown, Biden remembered his achievements
Trump also claimed under his governance the US recorded the best economic recovery and said that Democrat-run states only have lockdown as a solution. Biden, Trump said, would destroy the country and economy if he comes to power. The former Vice President, on the other hand, said he was tasked with fixing the economy after the 2008 recession, and he delivered.
Biden called Trump "Putin's puppy"
"We left him a booming economy and he caused recession. The fact is that I have gone head to head with (Russian President Vladimir Putin) and made it clear to him we're not going to take any of his stuff. He's Putin's puppy," Biden said.
Liar, clown, worst President: Biden went personal against Trump
Trump was also called the US' "worst President ever," a "clown," and a "liar" by Biden. Biden also asked him to show tax records, in view of a report that claimed the President paid merely $750 in federal income tax in 2016, the year he won polls. On these charges, Trump said he has paid millions of taxes, insisting that it's all on record.
