What it wasn't was a debate. A debate is a more or less orderly exchange of positions, structured by simple rules like "two minute uninterrupted opening statements" that both parties agree to abide by. From the very outset Trump never let Biden get through his statements -- he spoke over him, cut him off, shouted disagreements and insults as Biden was speaking, constantly attributed to Biden positions that he does not actually hold, and threw back questions that HE wanted Biden to answer. Moderator Chris Wallace lost control of this travesty at the start and never got it back: Trump often talked over and interrupted him too.
Biden, openly frustrated, generally kept his cool, though in time he got caught up in the dynamic and interrupted Trump at times too -- which allowed Wallace to say, "Gentlemen, will you both stop." But it was clear who created this chaotic, angry atmosphere.
Trump generally repeated all of his favorite points and lies, ignoring the actual question he was asked to say what he wanted to say -- often on entirely different topics. Biden's best moments were when he spoke directly to the camera and tried to show that he was thinking about what people needed to hear: reassurances about COVID, about racial divisions, about economic fairness, and about the voting process itself.
Trump left a trail of broken rules and procedural norms, a steaming pile of bullshit answers, and an unmistakable sense that he has given up on democracy itself. He didn't want a real debate and didn't come prepared for anything that would actually clarify and defend his positions.
The reviews
The Worst Presidential Debate In Living Memory
An Epic Moment of National Shame
CNN Absolutely Shreds ‘Shitshow’ Debate: ‘Hot Mess Inside a Dumpster Fire’
"Would you shut up, man": First Trump-Biden debate a disastrous, chaotic, nearly unwatchable mess
‘An Avalanche Of Lying’
A Bad Night for the President
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/09/trump-interruptions-first-presidential-debate-biden.html
We Counted Every Single Time Trump Interrupted During the First Presidential Debate
Some of the worst moments
“If I may ask my question, sir,” Wallace, the Fox News journalist, pressed as Trump kept cutting him off as he tried to ask the question. “First of all, I guess I’m debating you, not him,” Trump shot back at Wallace. “I’m not surprised.” . . .
“He said he went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. You didn’t go to Delaware State,” Trump said. “He graduated the lowest or almost the lowest in your class. Don’t ever use the word ‘smart’ with me.” . . .
Trump dodged calls from Wallace and Biden to publicly condemn white supremacists. Trump avoided answering for a few moments, blaming recent violence on left-wing rioters instead. When he finally addressed their requests, his response was: “Proud boys, stand back and stand by." . . .
Trump interrupted Biden when the former vice president was talking about his late son’s military career, shifting the subject to the business ties of Biden’s other son. . . .
The president refused to commit to urging his supporters to stay calm and not engage in civil unrest if the election results are drawn out, instead doubling down on his claims of mass voter fraud. “I am urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully,” he said. “If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I cannot go along with that.” . . .
5 Racist Trump Moments From The First 2020 Presidential Debate
3 debate moments that showed how unsuited Trump is for the presidency
3 winners and 4 losers from the first 2020 presidential debate
Biden's best moments
In Fox World
Sean Hannity Calls Debate ‘Refreshing’: Let Them Go at It Like ‘Gladiators’
The post-debate polls
The first post-debate polls say Biden won
GOP Pollster Asks For 1-Word Reviews Of Trump’s Debating. The Answers Are Wild.
In Cleveland, the president yelled, threatened, interrupted—and changed nothing. He’s losing. . . . [read on]
In fact, it may have the rare consequence of shrinking the actual pool of voters overall — Republican pollster Frank Luntz, conducting a virtual focus group during the debate, said some of the undecided voters on his panel said they had decided not to vote. “I’ve never seen a debate cause this reaction,” Luntz said on Twitter. . . [read on]
Rasmussen is the most Trump-friendly poll. Now Rasmussen says the tax fraud story is cutting into Trump's support
[T]here was quiet concern within the campaign, where aides took note of daily tracking numbers from Rasmussen Reports, a typically rosy assessment of how the president is faring, that showed support falling after the tax report. Among Mr. Trump’s circle, there was finger-pointing about how the issue was handled and a hesitancy to discuss with him an issue they know he is sensitive about. . . .
Trump Secretly Mocks His Christian Supporters
[NB: And that's WHY he has such contempt for them.]
Trump attacks Biden's faith while using Barrett's faith to try to win Catholic voters
How Scott Atlas became Trump's favorite health advisor
[NB: Because he tells him what he wants to hear, naturally.]
White House Overruled CDC on Cruise Ship Ban . . . “Public health officials have privately complained that the thwarting of Redfield on the cruise ship ban is politically motivated because the industry is a major economic presence in Florida — a key battleground state . . .”
Amy Barrett says she won't recuse from election-related cases on the Supreme Court
In investigation news . . .
Trump's incredible record of financial mismanagement, lies, and failure
“In the mid-1970s, the Trump family set out to sell the world on a character of its own creation: Donald J. Trump, dashing and brilliant business genius. The story’s protagonist was the child of multimillionaire developer Fred Trump, a son who had accomplished almost nothing in business, and whose taxable income was under $25,000. The trick was quite simple: young Donald would squire reporters around his father’s business empire and claim he had built it himself.” “In reality, Donald Trump was in the money-inheriting business…”
“The strategy was to convert Fred Trump’s fortune into publicity, which Donald could then monetize. The lies used to construct Trump’s image were massive. In 1984, Donald concocted a series of lies to persuade Forbes he was worth $900 million. Its reporter, Jonathan Greenberg, diligently unraveled every exaggeration and reduced the published sum to $100 million, only to discover decades later that the actual amount was a mere $5 million . . . .”
Buried in Trump's taxes, what's going on at his golf resorts makes no sense ... unless it's a lie
Trump could be in a lot of legal hot water if he loses the election . . . tax fraud, campaign finance violations, obstruction, and more.
Trump calls the tax story totally "fake news." But now his minions are calling for a criminal investigation of the NYT for revealing his tax information. Uh, guys. . . .
Don't get confused. Trump defenders say Trump paid "millions" in taxes -- by which they mean payroll taxes, property taxes, and real estate taxes. But of course, that is not the same as paying federal INCOME taxes on money earned, which comes out of YOUR OWN pocket
Trump's massive debt is a counterintelligence risk
Trump, for some reason, wants to bring up the "Russia, if you're listening" comment again, insisting that it was obviously said as a joke and people laughed. Just roll the tape . . .
How AG Bill Barr has turned the DOJ into a branch of Trump's campaign committee
“The defense lawyer for Michael Flynn told a judge on Tuesday that she talked about his criminal case in a meeting with President Trump, who has been highly critical of the prosecution of his former national security advisor for lying to FBI agents”
And ANOTHER branch of Trump's campaign committee
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe released Russian disinformation hours before the presidential debate Tuesday, declassifying the information without vetting or disavowing it. . . . [T]he information had previously been rejected by both Democratic and Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee because it lacked any factual basis.
Lindsey F. Graham: https://www.thedailybeast.com/lindsey-graham-on-spreading-potential-russian-disinformation-it-doesnt-matter-if-its-true
"There are allegations from the CIA that the Clinton campaign was involved in Russia. I don't know if that is true,” Graham said. “It's not about whether it is true. . ."
In other news . . .
More on former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale, recently hospitalized and on suicide watch
“Donald Trump’s demoted campaign boss Brad Parscale is under investigation for ‘stealing’ between $25-$40 million from Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign,” the Daily Mail reports. “The 44-year-old is also being investigated for ‘pocketing’ nearly another $10 million from the Republican National Committee.”
I know the Supreme Court doesn't follow polls. But they should pay attention to this
Support for Obamacare Hits New High
Biden is holding his national lead. When you look at it state by state, more states are moving from Trump's category into "competitive" -- and none are moving the other way
Trump's playing defense almost everywhere
Rudy -- too crazy even for Fox World
‘Fox & Friends’ Hosts Look On in Horror as Rudy Giuliani Blurts Out Biden Dementia Conspiracy Theory
[NB: Of course, all you need to do is Google to find serious people saying Rudy has dementia himself.]
David French is a conservative thinker who, long ago, took the time to write something critical of me for something I had said here at the University of Illinois. Who knew? Here he has some pretty interesting things to say about the rise of hate in our political discourse
“Something bothers me about the most common explanations for why conspiracy theories are spreading on the American right. When trying to account for the rise of the Q-Anon movement, for example, pundits and social scientists tend to use terms like ‘distrust.’ But to understand how so many Americans can believe that ‘they’ have dark and evil designs, we need to resort to a more primal emotion: hate.” [read on]
Guess which network uses the word "hate" most often?
[NB: Five times more often.]
Bonus item: Drug tests!
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