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| Presidential debate live: Donald Trump tries to steamroll Joe Biden in chaotic clash | Presidential debate live: Donald Trump tries to steamroll Joe Biden in chaotic clash |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Candidates faced off in Cleveland, Ohio, with Chris Wallace of Fox News moderating the bitterly personal showdown | Candidates faced off in Cleveland, Ohio, with Chris Wallace of Fox News moderating the bitterly personal showdown |
| French news magazine L’Obs has this verdict on the debate, which has certainly not been lost in translation, even if you don’t speak French. | |
| Cry, the beloved country. Donald Trump ensured Tuesday’s first US presidential debate was the worst in American history, a national humiliation. The rest of the world – and future historians – will presumably look at it and weep. | Cry, the beloved country. Donald Trump ensured Tuesday’s first US presidential debate was the worst in American history, a national humiliation. The rest of the world – and future historians – will presumably look at it and weep. |
| More likely than not, according to opinion polls, his opponent Joe Biden will win the November election and bring the republic back from the brink. If Trump is re-elected, however, this dark, horrifying, unwatchable fever dream will surely be the first line of America’s obituary. | More likely than not, according to opinion polls, his opponent Joe Biden will win the November election and bring the republic back from the brink. If Trump is re-elected, however, this dark, horrifying, unwatchable fever dream will surely be the first line of America’s obituary. |
| Only one man looked remotely presidential on the debate stage in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was not the incumbent. He interrupted, ranted, raged, spewed lies and interrupted some more. Oh, and he passed on an opportunity to condemn white supremacists, instead telling them to “stand back and stand by”. | Only one man looked remotely presidential on the debate stage in Cleveland, Ohio, and it was not the incumbent. He interrupted, ranted, raged, spewed lies and interrupted some more. Oh, and he passed on an opportunity to condemn white supremacists, instead telling them to “stand back and stand by”. |
| The debate moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, did not cover himself in glory either. He was a like a school supply teacher, hopelessly out of his depth as unruly children run riot. He did not enforce the rules or cut the president’s mic. | The debate moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, did not cover himself in glory either. He was a like a school supply teacher, hopelessly out of his depth as unruly children run riot. He did not enforce the rules or cut the president’s mic. |
| Facing this asymmetric bullying, Biden showed self-control and stood his ground. He spoke for tens of millions of Americans when he demanded: “Will you shut up, man?” – the Biden campaign rushed out this slogan on a T-shirt before the debate was even over. | Facing this asymmetric bullying, Biden showed self-control and stood his ground. He spoke for tens of millions of Americans when he demanded: “Will you shut up, man?” – the Biden campaign rushed out this slogan on a T-shirt before the debate was even over. |
| Five weeks before the election, the debate pitted an ageing white male against an ageing orange male sweating like Richard Nixon in 1960. Anyone hoping for elegant verbal jousting or rapier-like wit was in for a disappointment. | Five weeks before the election, the debate pitted an ageing white male against an ageing orange male sweating like Richard Nixon in 1960. Anyone hoping for elegant verbal jousting or rapier-like wit was in for a disappointment. |
| Read more here: Donald Trump ensures first presidential debate is national humiliation | Read more here: Donald Trump ensures first presidential debate is national humiliation |
| A debate like last night’s – 90 minutes long and a torrent of false and misleading claims – is an absolute nightmare for the fact-checkers among us. However, it does become slightly easier if the subject of the false claims can provide their own fact-check in real-time. | A debate like last night’s – 90 minutes long and a torrent of false and misleading claims – is an absolute nightmare for the fact-checkers among us. However, it does become slightly easier if the subject of the false claims can provide their own fact-check in real-time. |
| The Oregonian/OregonLive reports this morning that Multnomah county sheriff Mike Reese jumped straight onto Twitter after president Donald Trump appeared to claim that he had secured the endorsement of the “Portland sheriff” | The Oregonian/OregonLive reports this morning that Multnomah county sheriff Mike Reese jumped straight onto Twitter after president Donald Trump appeared to claim that he had secured the endorsement of the “Portland sheriff” |
| Portland in Oregon has seen near-continuous nightly Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd in May, which have often been met with force by local and federal authorities. | Portland in Oregon has seen near-continuous nightly Black Lives Matter protests following the killing of George Floyd in May, which have often been met with force by local and federal authorities. |
| This was the verdict of Delaware’s Democratic Senator Chris Coons on last night, as the chaotic debate opens the possibility that the Biden campaign may request format changes going forward. | This was the verdict of Delaware’s Democratic Senator Chris Coons on last night, as the chaotic debate opens the possibility that the Biden campaign may request format changes going forward. |
| As well as next week’s hotly anticipated vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, there are two further Trump-Biden debates currently in the calendar. You can pop Thursday 15 October at 9pm ET in Florida and Thursday 22 October at 8pm CDT in Tennessee into your diary now. | As well as next week’s hotly anticipated vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris, there are two further Trump-Biden debates currently in the calendar. You can pop Thursday 15 October at 9pm ET in Florida and Thursday 22 October at 8pm CDT in Tennessee into your diary now. |
| There were questions from the media immediately after last night as to whether Joe Biden and his team might pull out of the remaining two due to the president’s behaviour. They’ve ruled that out. | There were questions from the media immediately after last night as to whether Joe Biden and his team might pull out of the remaining two due to the president’s behaviour. They’ve ruled that out. |
| However, on a call with reporters, Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said that the campaign was in ongoing talks with the commission who govern the rules for the debates, saying “I would imagine there would be some additional conversations” going forward. | However, on a call with reporters, Biden deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said that the campaign was in ongoing talks with the commission who govern the rules for the debates, saying “I would imagine there would be some additional conversations” going forward. |
| The Trump campaign were also unhappy with the moderation by Chris Wallace last night. However, their view was that “Chris Wallace jumped in too often to save Biden from himself when he had backed himself into a corner or couldn’t come up with an answer”, according to campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh. | The Trump campaign were also unhappy with the moderation by Chris Wallace last night. However, their view was that “Chris Wallace jumped in too often to save Biden from himself when he had backed himself into a corner or couldn’t come up with an answer”, according to campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh. |
| National political reporter Sahil Kapur has weighed in for NBC News with his four key takeaways from last night. He identifies: | National political reporter Sahil Kapur has weighed in for NBC News with his four key takeaways from last night. He identifies: |
| Trump’s interruptions, Biden’s clapbacks – the president came out swinging, with constant interruptions and attempts to throw Biden off-balance. Biden didn’t shrink from the moment, repeatedly knocking Trump as a “clown” and a “liar” who wouldn’t stop “yapping”. | Trump’s interruptions, Biden’s clapbacks – the president came out swinging, with constant interruptions and attempts to throw Biden off-balance. Biden didn’t shrink from the moment, repeatedly knocking Trump as a “clown” and a “liar” who wouldn’t stop “yapping”. |
| Trump doesn’t condemn white supremacists – in a debate during which Biden called Trump a “racist” to his face, one of the most significant moments came when Wallace asked the president whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and “militia” groups. Trump appeared irritated. | Trump doesn’t condemn white supremacists – in a debate during which Biden called Trump a “racist” to his face, one of the most significant moments came when Wallace asked the president whether he was willing to condemn white supremacists and “militia” groups. Trump appeared irritated. |
| A clash over the economy – Trump sprinkled in attacks on Biden for having spent four decades in public office and having failed to fix many of the problems he now says he’s running for president to tackle. | A clash over the economy – Trump sprinkled in attacks on Biden for having spent four decades in public office and having failed to fix many of the problems he now says he’s running for president to tackle. |
| Biden shivs the left – Biden did his best to distance himself from the left throughout the debate. He repeatedly denounced the Green New Deal. Early on, Biden said that he was “not opposed to” Trump’s supreme court pick. He also went out of his way to make it clear that he opposes calls to “defund the police”. | Biden shivs the left – Biden did his best to distance himself from the left throughout the debate. He repeatedly denounced the Green New Deal. Early on, Biden said that he was “not opposed to” Trump’s supreme court pick. He also went out of his way to make it clear that he opposes calls to “defund the police”. |
| Read it in full here: NBC News – ‘Clown.’ ‘Liar.’ ‘Racist.’: 4 takeaways from the chaotic first Trump-Biden debate | Read it in full here: NBC News – ‘Clown.’ ‘Liar.’ ‘Racist.’: 4 takeaways from the chaotic first Trump-Biden debate |
| Moira Donegan writes for us this morning on the subject of the debate, saying that America is in pain and it offered no help. | Moira Donegan writes for us this morning on the subject of the debate, saying that America is in pain and it offered no help. |
| Donegan is unequivocal about the source. | Donegan is unequivocal about the source. |
| Donegan also raises one contrast with the way that Biden was able to deal with Trump, that was perhaps not afforded to Hillary Clinton four years ago: | Donegan also raises one contrast with the way that Biden was able to deal with Trump, that was perhaps not afforded to Hillary Clinton four years ago: |
| Read it here: Moira Donegan – America is in pain. The presidential debate offered no help | Read it here: Moira Donegan – America is in pain. The presidential debate offered no help |
| Moderator Chris Wallace has come in for some sustained criticism after the debate for his failure to reign in and control Donald Trump’s constant hectoring interruptions. | Moderator Chris Wallace has come in for some sustained criticism after the debate for his failure to reign in and control Donald Trump’s constant hectoring interruptions. |
| Rachel Maddow on MSNBC last night questioned whether the current structure of the debates is actually giving the moderators an impossible job. She said: | Rachel Maddow on MSNBC last night questioned whether the current structure of the debates is actually giving the moderators an impossible job. She said: |
| It’s a good question. Though given the way that Donald Trump addressed Wallace in any case – he has previously baselessly claimed that Fox News’ Wallace is controlled by the radical left – its not entirely clear that giving a journalist the ability to cut off the president’s mic would appear to Trump’s base as anything other than more negative reaction and bias against their man from ‘the mainstream media’. | It’s a good question. Though given the way that Donald Trump addressed Wallace in any case – he has previously baselessly claimed that Fox News’ Wallace is controlled by the radical left – its not entirely clear that giving a journalist the ability to cut off the president’s mic would appear to Trump’s base as anything other than more negative reaction and bias against their man from ‘the mainstream media’. |
| White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was at least pleased with some of the post-debate coverage last night. | White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was at least pleased with some of the post-debate coverage last night. |
| One of the segments making the most headlines this morning is the president of the United States refusing to condemn white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys, and contradicting his own FBI director over whether they pose a domestic terrorism threat. Here’s that exchange again: | One of the segments making the most headlines this morning is the president of the United States refusing to condemn white supremacist groups like the Proud Boys, and contradicting his own FBI director over whether they pose a domestic terrorism threat. Here’s that exchange again: |
| Well, Politico’s John F. Harris hasn’t minced his words in the opening to his analysis of last night’s debate. | Well, Politico’s John F. Harris hasn’t minced his words in the opening to his analysis of last night’s debate. |
| It’s perhaps a little bit of a hyperbolic reaction. He goes on to squarely blame the president: | It’s perhaps a little bit of a hyperbolic reaction. He goes on to squarely blame the president: |
| Harris ultimately calls into question the utility of the current debate format with the current candidates as part of the election process. | Harris ultimately calls into question the utility of the current debate format with the current candidates as part of the election process. |
| Read it here: Politico – An epic moment of national shame: the debate was an embarrassment for the ages | Read it here: Politico – An epic moment of national shame: the debate was an embarrassment for the ages |
| CBS News, along with many others, polled voters immediately after the debate. Their panel represented pretty accurately the national split in support of the two candidates, with 48% saying Biden won, while 41% thought Trump was the winner. 10% called it a tie. | CBS News, along with many others, polled voters immediately after the debate. Their panel represented pretty accurately the national split in support of the two candidates, with 48% saying Biden won, while 41% thought Trump was the winner. 10% called it a tie. |
| But what leapt out from the figures were how unhappy the audience were as a whole with the debate. CBS News report that more than eight in 10 voters who watched describe the debate’s tone as negative, including majorities of each candidate’s supporters. And there’s this: | But what leapt out from the figures were how unhappy the audience were as a whole with the debate. CBS News report that more than eight in 10 voters who watched describe the debate’s tone as negative, including majorities of each candidate’s supporters. And there’s this: |
| This sort of exchange, where faced with a barrage of interruptions Joe Biden eventually retorts “Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential” is maybe a clue as to why people ended up feeling this way | This sort of exchange, where faced with a barrage of interruptions Joe Biden eventually retorts “Will you shut up, man? This is so unpresidential” is maybe a clue as to why people ended up feeling this way |
| Our Daniel Strauss in Washington DC has pulled together his key takeaways from last night: | Our Daniel Strauss in Washington DC has pulled together his key takeaways from last night: |
| The debate was a mess, largely of Trump’s making – moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News was unable to rein in the candidates and that meant Donald Trump was mostly free to interrupt, make false claims, rant and violate the previously agreed structure and rules of the debate. | The debate was a mess, largely of Trump’s making – moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News was unable to rein in the candidates and that meant Donald Trump was mostly free to interrupt, make false claims, rant and violate the previously agreed structure and rules of the debate. |
| When asked if he would denounce groups like the Proud Boys and other white supremacy organizations, Trump refused to do it. | When asked if he would denounce groups like the Proud Boys and other white supremacy organizations, Trump refused to do it. |
| It got very personal – Biden was clearly exasperated and struggling to keep his cool. “Will you shut up man?” Biden said at one point as Trump repeatedly tried to speak over him. | It got very personal – Biden was clearly exasperated and struggling to keep his cool. “Will you shut up man?” Biden said at one point as Trump repeatedly tried to speak over him. |
| There were non-answers on policy questions – Trump was pressed on what his plan is to replace Obamacare (Affordable Care Act), Biden didn’t give a definitive answer on whether he supported calls to add seats to the supreme court. | There were non-answers on policy questions – Trump was pressed on what his plan is to replace Obamacare (Affordable Care Act), Biden didn’t give a definitive answer on whether he supported calls to add seats to the supreme court. |
| Biden wanted to talk to the American people, Trump wanted to talk to his base. | Biden wanted to talk to the American people, Trump wanted to talk to his base. |
| Read it in full here: A mess of Trump’s making: key takeaways from the first presidential debate | Read it in full here: A mess of Trump’s making: key takeaways from the first presidential debate |
| “Donald Trump set the tone for a brawl that offered a bleak picture of American democracy” – that’s how we have headed our panel verdict on last night’s debate. It features Lloyd Green, Derecka Purnell, Geoffrey Kabaservice and Art Cullen. | “Donald Trump set the tone for a brawl that offered a bleak picture of American democracy” – that’s how we have headed our panel verdict on last night’s debate. It features Lloyd Green, Derecka Purnell, Geoffrey Kabaservice and Art Cullen. |
| Kabaservice, director of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington DC, said there were ‘no winners’: | Kabaservice, director of political studies at the Niskanen Center in Washington DC, said there were ‘no winners’: |
| Derecka Purnell, social movement lawyer and DC-based writer, said: | Derecka Purnell, social movement lawyer and DC-based writer, said: |
| Lloyd Green has picked up on moderator Wallace’s performance, which has been widely cirticised: | Lloyd Green has picked up on moderator Wallace’s performance, which has been widely cirticised: |
| Art Cullen, editor of the Storm Lake Times in Iowa, where he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing, called it as a firm victory for the Democratic nominee. | Art Cullen, editor of the Storm Lake Times in Iowa, where he won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing, called it as a firm victory for the Democratic nominee. |
| Read it here: The first 2020 presidential debate: our panelists’ verdict | Read it here: The first 2020 presidential debate: our panelists’ verdict |
| Trailing in the national polls, Donald Trump needed to land blows in last night’s debate, but even Fox News have been a little lukewarm in their reception to his performance in places. In an opinion piece, Liz Peek writes: | Trailing in the national polls, Donald Trump needed to land blows in last night’s debate, but even Fox News have been a little lukewarm in their reception to his performance in places. In an opinion piece, Liz Peek writes: |
| Read it here: Fox News – First presidential debate leaves no clear winner, Trump needs to do this at next faceoff | Read it here: Fox News – First presidential debate leaves no clear winner, Trump needs to do this at next faceoff |
| This is Martin Belam taking over the blog in London – you can get in touch with me at martin.belam@theguardian.com | This is Martin Belam taking over the blog in London – you can get in touch with me at martin.belam@theguardian.com |
| That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. My colleague Martin Belam will take it from here. | That’s it from me, Helen Sullivan, for today. My colleague Martin Belam will take it from here. |
| I leave you with CBS political analyst (and former debate host) John Dickerson’s take on the debate. | I leave you with CBS political analyst (and former debate host) John Dickerson’s take on the debate. |
| “When the stakes were that high, the debate couldn’t have been lower,” he says: | “When the stakes were that high, the debate couldn’t have been lower,” he says: |