Biden and Trump trade barbs in testy debate
The first debate ahead of November's election started off rough for the president


What happened
President Joe Biden and Donald Trump held the first of two scheduled presidential debates Thursday night, arguing over abortion, immigration, the economy and global affairs, and trading personal attacks.
Who said what
Unfortunately for Biden, "presidential debates are often scored on style and impression more than substance," The Associated Press said. Trump was "confident and composed, even as he steamrolled facts," while Biden was "often halting, his voice raspy, even when he had the facts on his side." Trump sometimes "rambled and offered statements that were convoluted, hard to follow and flatly untrue," but "he did so with energy and volume," Peter Baker said at The New York Times. His rival's "halting and disjointed performance" sparked "a wave of panic among Democrats and reopened discussion of whether he should be the nominee."
Biden "experienced the worst opening 15 minutes of a presidential debate ever," University of Michigan debate director Aaron Kall said to The Wall Street Journal.
What next?
Biden "picked up some steam as the debate went on, clearing his throat less and getting in tougher hits on Trump's character and values," David Weigel said at Semafor. But the debate will "largely be judged based off its start and social media clips," Zolan Kanno-Youngs said at The New York Times. In a post-debate snap poll, CNN said, 81% of registered voters who tuned in stated it had "no effect on their choice for president," while 5% — split into "roughly equal shares" of Biden and Trump supporters — said the debate changed their vote.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
October 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailout
Talking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?
Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartels
speed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feud
Speed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Miami Freedom Tower’s MAGA library squeeze
THE EXPLAINER Plans to place Donald Trump’s presidential library next to an iconic symbol of Florida’s Cuban immigrant community has South Florida divided
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protesters
Speed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
-
Trump: US cities should be military ‘training grounds’
Speed Read In a hastily assembled summit, Trump said he wants the military to fight the ‘enemy within’ the US
-
YouTube to pay Trump $22M over Jan. 6 expulsion
Speed Read The president accused the company of censorship following the suspension of accounts post-Capitol riot