Tuesday’s first presidential debate was a disturbing fusillade of President Trump’s go-to weapons of disruption and demagoguery, former Vice President Biden’s flustered response to the bullying and a moderator who lost control from the first question.
The pundits are predictably divided, with prominent Democrats expressing shame at the caustic disunity on display to a world worried about the future of America’s democracy. Republicans, in the voice of Fox News Trump whisperer Sean Hannity, cast Biden as weak, confused and “steamrolled” by the president.
Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News repeatedly tried to stifle Trump during his constant interruptions of both Biden and Wallace himself but failed.
Trump again declined to denounce white supremacy, repeated his assaults on the Nov. 3 election as riddled with fraud and portrayed America under a President Biden as an apocalypse of economic catastrophe and rampant violence.
Biden stumbled under Trump’s barrage of interjections and false accusations but largely maintained a dignified posture and landed a few punches in telling the howler-in-chief, “would you shut up, man!” and calling him “the worst president America has ever had.”
Biden’s best response was to laugh off Trump’s fusillade of interruptions and attacks. It was a perfect response. It conveyed the belief that Trump is a joke and his behavior is immature, without having to actual say that. Although he did call Trump a clown and quickly apologized. Most people who heard it will remain the characterization more than the mild adjustment he made to it
Agree with Nick that Biden for the most part succeeded in laughing off Trump’s incessant interruptions and sputtering. Biden also broke through several times by looking into the camera and directly addressing viewers.
For viewers whose minds already were made up, they saw what they wanted to see. Trump followers liked his red faced bullying. They saw it as strength. Biden supporters saw a decent and dignified man doing all anyone could do to fend off a bully while still telling Americans how he plans to help them if elected.