The highlights of the first US presidential debate of 2020 in Ohio
by: Maen Al-Tayyem
Donald Trump and the First Lady have announced their positive coronavirus tests, just a few days after the first presidential election debate of this year, during which, the dialogue between Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden turned into disruptions and criticism on personal grounds. Maen Al-Tayyem reports.
Photo courtesy of René DeAnda via Unsplash
The first US presidential election debate of the 2020 elections was one of the worst as called by many observers and news agencies around the world. To many viewers, the debate felt like a chaotic middle school brawl where two accomplished men interrupted and insulted each other repeatedly to the point that the debate commissioner has stated that it will change the structure of the debate to ensure "orderly discussion".
President Trump who tried to rattle candidate Joe Biden repeatedly by cutting in on him managed to do so 73 times during the hour and a half debate according to the CBS news count. This was expected to happen to a much smaller extent. Biden, however, stood his ground far better than anyone has anticipated. Debate mediator Chris Wallace also tried to control the debate to a point when he had to scold both candidates.
Photo courtesy of Gerd Altmann via Pixabay
Due to the atmosphere of the debate, it was hard to form a full picture from either candidate on their positions in different matters.
Trump made a good point, by highlighting his past achievements and his attempt to cut down the medication prices in the US. He and Biden, however, clashed on the coronavirus response and the way this crisis should have been managed, but they both agreed on not supporting the new green deal which they all thought was expensive and harmful to the American economy. Also, while Trump called for better forest management to halt the wildfires that happen yearly, Biden elaborated on his plan for building sustainable eco-friendly infrastructure.
When it came to the topic of racism and systemic injustice, Biden openly acknowledged the existence of systemic injustice in the American system.
He went on to explain that the vast majority of police officers are " good people". On the other hand, President Trump went on to attack what he called the “far-left states” and cities that are run by democrats.
A further striking moment of the debate was when President Trump was directly offered a chance to renounce white supremacists and militia groups, instead, he directed his words to the " Proud Boys" a well-known white supremacist group in the US, telling them to " stand back and stand by".
The next debate of the two presidential candidates is scheduled to happen in Miami, Florida on the 15 of October.
