Biden and Trump trade barbs in testy debate

Donald Trump and President Joe Biden debate

Biden was "often halting, his voice raspy, even when he had the facts on his side"

(Image credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP via Getty Image)

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.

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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.