This Is Not the First Time Biden and Trump Will Debate Each Other
Before November’s presidential election, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to participate in two debates in June and September. But it won’t be their first time going head-to-head on television, as The Washington Post reported. Their debate on September 29, 2020, on topics such as election integrity, COVID, and Supreme Court nominations, was marred by interruptions, jeers, and accusations. So, the Commission on Presidential Debates decided to include a mute button for their second, more civil debate on October 22, 2020. Either way, the first time around, Trump presented Biden as a politician beset by scandals, while Biden characterized Trump as an extremist who was mismanaging the pandemic and mistreating immigrants. They weren’t very polite, and they frequently interrupted one another. So, here’s looking back at the top 6 most noteworthy moments from their showdown.
1. “Will You Shut Up, Man?”
Throughout the first debate in September, Biden—who had been told to keep his composure—still looked annoyed by Trump’s constant heckling, per the Washington Post . Biden refused to respond when Trump asked him whether he would appoint more people to the Supreme Court. “Why wouldn’t you answer that question?” Biden attempted to clarify that he didn’t want to address the matter of court-packing, but Trump shot him down. “The question is—” Biden began. When Trump interrupted again, he yelled back, “Will you shut up, man?” That was just one of several insults Biden leveled at Trump that evening, along with calling him the ‘worst president America’s ever had’ and ‘this clown — excuse me, this person.’
2. “Proud Boys: Stand Back and Stand By”
Both Biden and Fox News moderator Chris Wallace questioned Trump on his support for and stance against white supremacists at the first debate. Trump enquired as to whom he should explicitly denounce. In one of the most remarkable moments of the debates, Biden proposed the Proud Boys. Trump remarked, “Proud Boys: stand back and stand by,” without explicitly denouncing the violent far-right organization. The Proud Boys saw that as a call to arms and made the non-condemnation their unofficial motto. Several members were also later found guilty of violence at the Capitol on January 6th.
3. Seemingly Sowed Doubts on Election Integrity
Trump often questioned the security of mail-in voting during the 2020 campaign, falsely asserting that it would encourage widespread cheating. Reiterating his unfounded allegation that the election would be rigged, Trump declared, “This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen.” He also advised his followers to ‘very carefully’ watch the polls and stated that he would only accept the results if he thought the election had been fair. Consequently, on January 6, 2021, a throng of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results, weeks after Biden won the election. Trump and his allies continue to accuse Biden of election fraud, even though cases by his own legal team in multiple states proved Biden won fair and square.
4. COVID-19
During the two 2020 presidential debates, the coronavirus pandemic was raging and a prominent topic of discussion. To keep society functioning, Trump suggested that companies and schools should remain open. Biden was ridiculed by him for donning ‘the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.’ Biden then contended that hundreds of thousands of people died as a result of Trump’s careless approach to social distancing, which the current POTUS called ‘irresponsible.’ Biden also pointed out that Trump has previously suggested injecting disinfectant intraperitoneally to treat the illness. During a heated discussion, Trump claimed that people were ‘learning to live’ with the disease. “People are learning to live with it?” Biden asked. “People are learning to die with it.”
5. Immigration
A major topic of discussion during the debate was the separation of immigrant families. NBC moderator Kristen Welker asked Trump how families would be reunited, to which he replied that the children had been ‘so well taken care of’ and that his administration was ‘trying very hard’ to bring the families back together. Then he asserted that rather than their own families, ‘cartels,’ ‘coyotes,’ and ‘gangs’ were responsible for bringing the kids to the United States. Trump questioned Biden, “Who built the cages?” several times, indicating that Biden shared some of the culpability and that the Obama administration was to blame. However, family separations, according to Biden, have turned the United States into a laughingstock across the globe. “It violates every notion of who we are as a nation,” Biden said.
6. Foreign Finances
The two men sparred about one other’s wealth and claims of connections to international companies and countries. Biden refuted several allegations made by Trump about his wealth, including the notion that he received money from Russia, China, and Ukraine. “I don’t make money from China — you do,” Trump said. “I don’t make money from Ukraine — you do.” Biden retorted that he had not received funds from a ‘foreign source’ before turning the tables on Trump. “Russia’s paying you a lot,” Biden claimed, pointing his finger at Trump. “China’s paying you a lot. And your hotels and all your businesses all around the country, all around the world.” Refusing Biden’s allegations, Trump grinned and shook his head.