Trump overwhelms Biden in 'train wreck' debate

President Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden did not shake hands when they entered the first debate on the evening of September 29 (morning of September 30, Hanoi time). Four years ago, Trump and Clinton also did not shake hands because of the tense relationship between the two sides. However, this year, Trump and Biden have a good reason to avoid this gesture: they need to comply with social distancing regulations during Covid-19.

President Trump (right) and Democratic candidate Joe Biden at the debate in Ohio on September 29. Photo:AFP

The two candidates entered the stage at the same time and smiled as moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News explained to the audience why they did not shake hands. But the goodwill did not last long.

Trump repeatedly interrupted Biden and Wallace as they discussed the Supreme Court and Obamacare. Eighteen minutes into the debate, Biden said to Trump, "Will you shut up?"

As many expected, Trump continued to hurl personal attacks at Biden, saying he had "done nothing in 47 years in government." "Don't ever use the word smart with me," Trump said. "There's nothing smart about you, Joe."

It's not unusual for Trump to vilify his opponents. But Biden also attacked Trump in this debate with harsh words such as calling him a "clown," "the worst president ever" and "Putin's puppy."

After a chaotic first half, moderator Wallace struggled to regain control. "Mr. President, you can say whatever you want. But I think it would be better for the country if we gave both of you a chance to speak without interruption. I urge you to do that," Wallace said.

When Trump tried to argue that Biden interrupted more than he did, Wallace added: "Frankly, you interrupt more than he does."

CNN commented that Trump's performance was a microcosm of his life and career: breaking all the rules, trying to overwhelm his opponents, and taking the spotlight.

Biden, meanwhile, is a more conventional politician. He was confused and struggled to make his point as Trump repeatedly interrupted him. He tried to counter by showing that Trump, a political outsider four years ago, was still clueless four years into his presidency. "He doesn't have a plan. The fact is, this guy doesn't know what he's talking about," Biden said when discussing Obamacare.

About 45 minutes into the debate, Trump brought up Hunter Biden, his opponent's son, over his business dealings in Ukraine. Hunter, 50, is a controversial lawyer and investment adviser who held senior positions in Chinese and Ukrainian companies while his father was vice president. Hunter has also had a controversial personal and love life. Trump and some Republican politicians consider Hunter to be Biden's "Achilles heel."

Biden sought to shift the debate to the Covid-19 pandemic, arguing that it was a problem for every American family, not just his.

Trump then continued to allude to Hunter when Biden mentioned Beau, his late eldest son who was Delaware's attorney general and served in the military. He was seen as trying to unnerve his opponent by repeatedly bringing up the subject. However, Biden again "defended" the attack when he looked directly into the camera and said: "My son had a drug problem, but he overcame it and I'm proud of him," Biden said.

Lisa Lerer, commentator forNYTimes, Biden apparently anticipated Trump's reference to his son and was prepared to respond to that attack. "He's very sensitive about his family," Lerer said.

CNN said President Trump dominated the debate, but that doesn't mean he won.

"For the first hour, Trump completely controlled the discussion, speaking out loud to both his opponent and the moderator without being interrupted. It was clear that the President was looking to win the debate in the short term, while Joe Biden seemed to be thinking long term. However, there were times when Biden seemed to disappear from the stage and completely fell silent," said journalist Jeff Zeleny ofCNNcomment.

With Election Day looming and about a million voters already casting their ballots, it’s hard to tell how the first debate could change the trajectory of the race. Many polls show Biden leading Trump.

The two candidates spent so much time attacking each other that they failed to articulate their policy differences, which is what undecided voters needed to hear.

"It was like a train wreck. This was the worst debate I've ever seen. It wasn't even a debate, it was a disgrace," said CNN's Jake Tapper. "It may be impossible to judge the winner. But the loser is easy: the American voter."