The first presidential debate was argumentative and combative from the start, with President Donald Trump constantly interrupting former Vice President Joe Biden and Biden calling Trump a series of names, most notably ‘fool’ and ‘clown.’
At another point, Biden said to Trump, who had interrupted him multiple times, “Will you shut up man?” Trump accused Biden of not doing anything in 40 years. Biden accused Trump of not taking social distancing seriously.
But the clown comment was one of the most colorful. Watch that video here:
Biden just called Trump a clown. #PresidentialDebate
The clown comment lit up social media.
i think my favorite part of 2020 was mr. biden calling trump a clown 💀
“This man doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” said Biden at another point. Biden also said, “Keep yapping, man.”
“People want their schools open,” said Trump. “People want their places open. They want to get back to their lives.” He said, “I brought back football.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The Candidates Also Debated the Supreme Court, Abortion & COVID-19
“Will you shut up, man?” This far in and it has devolved into this? #PresidentialDebate2020
The first debate also focused on substantive issues like the U.S. Supreme Court, abortion and healthcare. Moderator Chris Wallace repeatedly admonished the candidates to stop talking over each other.
Trump praised Amy Coney Barrett, his Supreme Court nominee, at the beginning of the debate, and he claimed Democrats would do the same thing if they could. He said Biden would go to “socialist medicine.” Biden denied this point. “I proposed that we expand Obamacare and we increase it,” Biden said.
“Your party wants to go socialist medicine and socialist healthcare, and they’re going to dominate you, Joe,” Trump said.
“I am the Democratic party right now,” said Biden.
“Not according to Harris,” said Trump.
“This guy will shut down the whole country and destroy our country,” Trump said to Biden.
Trump tried to make the debate about the Supreme Court out of the gate, and Biden tried to make the debate about healthcare. “I guess I’m debating you, not him, but I’m not surprised,” Trump told the Wallace.
The Candidates Also Debated Masks
GettyPresident Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden participated in a debate Tuesday night.
Biden said 200,000 people have “died under his watch.” Trump said people died in the military because they weren’t presented with proper healthcare during Biden’s years in public office.
Trump said Biden graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in his class. “There’s nothing smart about you Joe. Forty years and you’ve done nothing.”
Biden said the president was opposed to Roe v. Wade. “That’s also at stake right now,” said Biden, saying abortion was on the ballot “in the courts.”
“It’s not on the ballot,” said Trump. “You don’t know her (Coney Barrett’s) view on Roe v. Wade.”
Biden said that Coney Barrett had written that the Affordable Care Act was not constitutional.
Tyler Pager, a Bloomberg reporter, said, “An observation from inside the debate hall: Everyone in Biden’s side of the hall is wearing a mask. More than half on Trump’s side, including his four children, are not wearing masks. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it’s a requirement that all guests wear masks.”
The mask issue came up during the debate. Trump accused Biden of wearing masks all of the time and said he wears masks when he thinks they are needed. He said people were tested for COVID-19 before coming to the debate hall.
“He’s been totally irresponsible how he’s handled social distancing” and masks, said Biden, calling Trump a “fool on this.”
Trump also claimed he paid “millions of dollars in income tax.”
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