President Donald Trump repeatedly interrupted Vice President Joe Biden with retorts, put-downs and interruptions during 90 minutes, to the point that moderator Chris Wallace admonished the president to follow debate rules and let Biden talk.
Biden, navigating the hijinks, shook his head, smiled with evident annoyance and faced the cameras to speak directly to the American people, vowing to trust in scientists, respond effectively to the coronavirus and safely reopen the economy, offices and schools.
“Under Trump, we’ve become weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent,” Biden said.
The New York Times: With cross talk, lies and mockery, Trump tramples decorum in debate with Biden.
Dan Balz, The Washington Post analysis: Trump sets tone for the worst presidential debate in living memory.
According to a post-debate poll conducted by CBS News/YouGov, 69 percent of respondents felt “annoyed” by what they saw, with only 17 percent saying they felt “informed.” Forty-eight percent declared Biden the victor compared to 41 percent for Trump. Ten percent deemed the debate a tie.