The first debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden deteriorated into bitter taunts and near chaos. The two men frequently talked over each other.
The 74-year-old president and the 77-year-old former vice president are similar in age, and they share a mutual dislike. But they differ starkly in style and substance. All of that was evident from the outset on the Cleveland stage.
Chris Wallace, the Fox News host had the near-impossible task of trying to control the first presidential debate as its moderator, and continually expressed frustration with his role. Wallace said beforehand that it was not his job to fact-check the candidates in real time. Wallace had said he wanted to be “invisible.” Well, that was impossible.
“Gentlemen, I hate to raise my voice, but why should I be any different than the two of you?" Wallace said.
“It's been an interesting hour and a half,” he said at the end.
Trump aides believed before the debate that Biden would be unable to withstand the withering offensive in style and substance from Trump, but Biden came with a few retorts of his own. There is little doubt that it was the most acrimonious debate since the forums have been televised.
It started out civil enough, with President Donald Trump striding deliberately to his lectern, and Democrat Joe Biden nodding to his opponent and offering, “How you doing, man?”
Within 15 minutes, the interruptions and talking over one another had deteriorated to the point that both candidates began insulting and shouting each other down. At other points, the two candidates dialed down their rhetoric, for a time, but then the interruptions would spring up again.
There wasn’t much substance, however topics included questions about the Supreme Court, Health Care, the coronavirus, racial injustice, the economy and taxes, amongst others.
In the first head-to-head debate, the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic could not be missed. Crowds and pageantry were out. COVID-19 tests and masks were in.
Instead of the usual auditorium setting, the debate was hosted by the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University in the spacious 27,000-square-foot atrium of the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion on the clinic’s Health Education Campus.
The atrium, with its skylighted roof, was turned into a makeshift debate hall with a stage, red carpeting and elevated platforms for cameras. About 100 people watched, all of whom were tested for the virus.
Presidential debates are typically some of the most exciting nights of the campaign season, drawing thousands of staffers, media and guests.