‘Aggressive’ Donald Trump ‘wins’ first face-off against a ‘struggling’ Joe Biden: The key takeaways

It was one of the biggest debates in US electoral history, marking the first time a sitting president debated a former president over matters of great interest to the common American. Expectations were set: immigration, jobs, inflation, and age were expected to take centre stage as Joe Biden debated his arch-rival Donald Trump. However, what dominated the entire debate was Biden's capability to contest in the upcoming election. His performance has sent Democrats into a frenzy, with many speculating if he should be replaced. Here's a round-up of the 90-minute CNN debate in Atlanta, US.

Also Read: Hindustan Times Live coverage of presidential debate

Joe Biden's dismal performance:

In a high stake face-off that will turn the tide for rest of the campaign president Joe Biden appeared struggling and even froze several times. The moment that most of his opponents were waiting for came early, when Biden appeared to freeze for several seconds while answering a question about the economy. Most of the time he stumbled during exchanges over key numbers, like the amount of new jobs created under his administration, caps for out-of-pocket drug costs and insulin that are key pillars of his reelection bid.

The shaky performance is not being used as a fodder by Trump supporters to call him the decisive winner of the debate. Biden's team quickly rushed in for a damage control by claiming president has a cold.

Biden “just didn’t have the spark that we needed tonight,” Rosemarie DeAngelus, a Democrat from South Portland, Maine, said from her watch party at Broadway Bowl. Trump, she said, showed “more spunk or more vigour” even if, in her view, he was telling a pack of lies.

Despite his awkward moments of silence and struggling Biden called out Trump, labelling him, ‘an alley cat with no moral, a ’whiner' over rigged election claim, ‘having slept with a sex worker’, and a ‘sucker’ for attacking his son Hunter Biden.

Also Read: Biden's scratchy voice, mumbling during debate spark concerns: ‘Pls step down’

Donald Trump showed more aggression:

On the contrary Trump capitalized on Biden’s missteps, swiping at his opponent during an exchange on immigration. “I really don’t know what he said on this, and I don’t think he knows what he said either,” Trump said.

However, his aggression seemed to elope the factual errors he tried to use during the debate to emerge victorious on sticky points that have marred his presidentship. His performance during the debate showed moments of controversy and missteps.

He veered off-topic when asked about Americans battling opioid addiction, instead focusing on immigration and unrelated international issues. Trump made false claims, including taking credit for a Medicare insulin price cap that wasn't his doing, and reiterated conspiracy theories about the January 6 Capitol rioters being invited in by police. He also faced uncomfortable questions regarding his alleged affair with a porn star, a topic central to his legal troubles. Moreover, Trump awkwardly dodged inquiries about whether he would accept the election results, adding to the contentious atmosphere of the debate.

“Donald Trump spent the night talking about himself, his lies, his legal woes, his affairs with a porn star, and his golf championships at his own club,” claimed Joe Biden.

Also Read: Fact-checking false claims you heard at the Biden-Trump CNN presidential debate

War of words got personal

The debate, which began without a handshake, left no doubt these men do not like one another. Despite getting a platform to display their views on issues that matter the two indulged in personal barbs. From Biden's blasting his rival as "a convicted felon", to Trump musing that "I don't think (Biden) knows what he said," the personal animus was glaring.

"You have the morals of an alley cat," Biden hissed after laying out Trump's various legal woes and verdicts against him.

"You're the sucker, you're the loser," Biden said.

Trump punched back, saying "everything he does is a lie."

"He's the worst president in the history of our country," Trump fumed.

Also Read: The ugly war of words

The helter-skelter tumult of their first 2020 debate, where then-president Trump ran roughshod over Biden and the debate moderators, was but a memory Thursday night. CNN's strategy to avoid a shouting match worked, with Robert Rowland, a communications professor at Kansas University, noting, "I think the rules may have aided Trump because they prevented him from yelling over Biden's answers."

Without a studio audience cheering or jeering, both candidates had greater opportunities to focus on the issues. However, with CNN moderators failing to offer real-time fact checks, Trump and, to a lesser degree, Biden, were unrestrained in making misleading or false statements on a variety of topics, from immigration and crime to the economy.