Washington state, Seattle leaders react to first presidential debate
Sep 30, 2020, 12:28 PM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:20 am
U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden look out to the audience at end of the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University on Sept. 29, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on Nov. 3. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
The first presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden included a number of heated clashes between the two candidates over the ongoing pandemic, personal attacks about former Vice President Biden’s family, and a discussion over the future of the U.S. Supreme Court.
KIRO Radio and KTTH hosts react to chaotic first presidential debate
President Trump, in speaking about the recent protests across the country, did briefly mention Seattle, where he claimed they took back control after sending in federal troops. Local and state government officials took to Twitter to react to this and other notable moments from the debate.
The President continues to invent facts about Seattle to promote his dark vision to divide America. He promotes hate and has never believed in equity, justice, or the law. https://t.co/cI45dkQUqB
— Mayor Jenny Durkan (@MayorJenny) September 30, 2020
Gov. Inslee, true to his campaign platform for his own presidential candidacy, tweeted early in the afternoon to say that the candidates should address their plans for climate change in the debate that evening, and again during the debate.
Devastating fires, historic floods, and catastrophic hurricanes.
Climate change is an existential threat that cannot be ignored.
The American people must hear the presidential candidate's plans to address this threat at tonight’s debate. #ClimateDebate
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) September 29, 2020
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them about climate change
Ask them— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) September 30, 2020
The two candidates did eventually answer a question about climate change, during which Trump again touted forest management as a strategy to reduce the wildfires seen along the West Coast in recent weeks. Biden, in his response, said he is not for the Green New Deal, but rather supports his own climate plan, which does include rejoining the Paris Agreement immediately.
In perhaps one of the most talked about moments of the debate, President Trump refused to outwardly condemn white supremacists, telling the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
This isn’t hard.
We need to elect a President who will condemn white supremacists and has a plan to combat climate change.
— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) September 30, 2020
The president of the United States refused to condemn white supremacists.
Let the horror of that sink in.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 30, 2020
Trump also, again, expressed concerns about mail-in voting fraud.
Addressing repeated claims that mail-in ballots would lead to a “fraudulent” election, Washington’s Secretary of State Kim Wyman, a Republican herself, has previously emphasized the importance of assuring the public that the systems in place can sustain a free and fair election.
“I think it’s a disservice to the tens of thousands of election officials that are across the country, both Democrats and Republicans, who are doing this work to try to have fair elections, to throw out information … that would cast doubt on that process,” Wyman told KIRO Radio in August.
Fraud rate from 250 million mail-in ballots cast over ten years is .00001 percent.
Trump just doesn’t want you to vote.
— Pramila Jayapal (@PramilaJayapal) September 30, 2020
Overall, the first debate was full of heated moments and interruptions as moderator Chris Wallace continually tried to regain control. Even the state Superintendent of Public Instruction weighed in on Twitter, reminding young people (and everyone) that debates can be both respectful and productive.
Washington State students, this is not normal! We can disagree without disrespect. We can debate without rage. We can listen without interruption. Learn from this and dedicate yourself to civility, integrity, honesty, and respect. I believe in you, America needs you!
— Chris Reykdal (@chrisreykdal) September 30, 2020
The Associated Press is reporting that the presidential debate commission says it will soon adopt changes to its format to avoid a repeat of the disjointed first meeting between Trump and Biden.
The commission said Wednesday the debate “made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues.”
The next presidential debate will be on Oct. 15. The vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris is scheduled for Oct. 7, 2020.
