Radio hosts react to final Trump-Biden debate
Oct 22, 2020, 6:09 PM | Updated: Oct 7, 2024, 9:17 am
U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden participate in the final presidential debate at Belmont University on Oct. 22, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the last debate between the two candidates before the Nov. 3 election. (Photo by Jim Bourg-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jim Bourg-Pool/Getty Images)
In their final debate before the presidential election, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden offered sharply different visions of how to handle the surging pandemic, with the incumbent declaring that the virus will go away and his challenger warning that the nation was heading toward “a dark winter.”
After a first debate defined by angry interruptions, the Thursday event featured a mostly milder tone. In an effort to curtail interruptions, the Commission on Presidential Debates had announced that Trump and Biden would each have his microphone cut off while his rival delivered an opening two-minute answer to each of six debate topics.
The mute button was not used in the open discussion portion of the debate.
Follow live reactions from the talk hosts on Twitter as they were watching Trump and Biden on Thursday night:
Trump was Trump. Joe had a few hesitations, and once called Proud Boys “Poor Boys” but showed he could go on the attack too.
Moderator kept it under control. Only one muting incident that I noticed.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: He’s going to destroy the oil industry.
BIDEN: We have to move toward net zero emissions.
TRUMP: Is he going to get China to do it?
BIDEN: I will use Paris Accords to make China comply.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: We are energy independent. Wind is expensive and kills birds. Joe would ban fracking.
Biden: I have never said I oppose fracking (except on federal land). I rule out banning fracking. I will make sure we can capture the emissions.
TRUMP: I'll post the tape.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Will the media play the tape — the lots and lots of tape — of Joe Biden talking about getting rid of fracking or will they let him get away with the lie?
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: Biden’s plan comes from “AOC +3”. HE wants to knock down buildings and build new building with little tiny windows.
BIDEN: (Smiling) I don’t know where he comes from…
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: We have clean air, clear water, haven’t destroyed our industries.
BIDEN: Four more years of eliminating regulations will put us in real trouble. I brought environmental organizations and labor together to support my plan.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
To Biden: Your drug bill put thousands of black men in prison for minor drug crime.
BIDEN: It was a mistake. We should not send anyone to jail for a pure drug offense. They should go into treatment.
TRUMP: You had eight years to fix it – All talk and no action.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump is in his wheelhouse right now. Not gonna lie, he whipped on Joe for like 2 mins. Biden felt that. #PresidentialDebates2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
BIDEN: This guy is a dog whistle big as a fog horn
TRUMP: You have done nothing other than the crime bill…
BIDEN: Oh God.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden says no one dealing with drug addiction should go to jail. Yet he put scores of black people in jail for low level possession.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump: I ran because you did a bad job.
Biden: You know who he is and who I am. Our character is on the ballot.
Trump: They’re calling you a corrupt politician.
Biden: There are 50 former Intel folks saying the laptop story is a Russian plant.
Trump: Russia Russia Russia?— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden: I never ever said that. It was Trump who said the problem with he crime bill is there’s not enough people in jail. Brings up the Central Park Five. [Trump] may have commuted 20 peoples sentences… We commuted thousands.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Here's the speech Joe Biden claims he didn't give. https://t.co/UiD9WVUQCE
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Ever notice when folks talk about what they do for Black folks, it has to do with Criminal Justice and Prisons? #PresidentialDebates2020
Contrary to what some of y’all believe, there’s other things that Black people are involved in.
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Fact checker observes: "Biden never used the phrase "super predators." (That was Hillary Clinton.) He did use the word "predators." Hmmm.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump on race: Biden labeled black people superpredators in 1994 crime bill.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden on “The Talk” that black parents have to give to their kids.
“There is institutional racism in America.”— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden: There’s 500 something kids not knowing where their kids are
Trump: Good
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: We are trying to reunite those immigrant kids. They were smuggled here by coyotes.
BIDEN: These were kids who came with their parents. Kids were ripped from their arms, and now they’re alone.
TRUMP: They are so well taken care of. TO Joe: Who built the cages?
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
To Biden: What about minimum wage?
BIDEN: We have to bail businesses out…
TRUMP: How does raising minimum wage help?
Moderator to Trump: You said would you consider raising Minimum wage
TRUMP: Not to $15 in areas that can’t afford it…
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden is now lying and saying he didn't separate families at the border. It's a shameful lie but Kristen Welker helps bail him out with a rather softball question allowing him to blame others for failure on immigration reform.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump’s best line of the night: Who built the cages Joe? #PresidentialDebate
Well done Trump
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
TRUMP: The bill passed by the House Democrats (and now languishing) was a bailout for badly run Democrat cities and states and for giveaways for illegal immigrants.
BIDEN: This is not about Red and Blue states –ALL states are in trouble.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden complains small businesses are going out of business while simultaneously promoting an economic lockdown to fight coronavirus.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
SUBJECT: New Coronavirus Relief Bill.
TRUMP: Nancy Pelosi is standing in the way
BIDEN: McConnell says Republicans wont pass it. Democrats have been trying to pass this since summer.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Why is Joe Biden yelling?
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden: I beat the other people (in the primary) because I was against socialized medicine. Trump is the guy who tried to cut Medicare.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden claims he disagrees with Bernie Sanders, et al, yet those people he disagrees with consistently say they've gotten Biden to move far to the left.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden: People deserve to have affordable health care and it will cost 750 billion over ten years to do it.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump: He was there for 47 years and didn’t do it. He wants socialized medicine and his vice president wants it even more.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden a public option does not make this socialism.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
I want to apologize to all the kids in our country. We adults failed you in 2016. How we let this man get in office, I don’t know. However, in 12 days, he’s losing and he knows it. #ElectionDay
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
So, to be clear… Joe Biden doesn't actually know what's in his own healthcare plan.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden: Makes first mention of “Bidencare” – a public option. I support private insurance, and not one single person with private insurance would lose their plan. There’s no way Trump can protect pre-existing conditions…
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump: Biden will socialize health plans and terminate 180 million plans.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Yeah — just what we need (though no one is asking for it): #BidenCare. 🙄🙄
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Health Care: What’s your post-Obamacare plan?
Trump: I overturned the insurance mandate… etc. Same answer as in 60-Minutes interview.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
“What I would like to do” when it comes to Healthcare. – Trump
Ummm,
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Trump: I kept us out of war with North Korea.
Biden: He’s legitimized North Korea. I would only meet with Kim if he agreed to de-nuclearize.
Trump: Obama left us a mess in North Korea.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Did Biden use “THUG”? My favorite part of the night. Well done Joe. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Biden: There’s a reason he brings up this malarkey. This is not about us, it’s about your families, they’re in trouble.
Trump: He's a typical politician; always changes the subject to families around the table…
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
The Biden Scandal subject appears to have gone nowhere. Trump keeps trying, but Biden denies it all. And moderator is not letting him fling charges at Biden.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump: My China bank account was closed before I ever ran for President. Biden makes money like a vacuum.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump to Biden: You do live very well, you have houses all over the place.
Biden: continues to deny son did anything wrong in Ukraine
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden forgot who leads North Korea.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden on Ukraine: Son was on board of Burisma. But everyone who testified said *I* did nothing wrong. My son did not make money from China.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
I need all the CPAs to help me understand how he Pre-paid millions for taxes.
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Biden: You’re been saying for four years you’ll release your taxes. Do it.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
FINALLY Welker jumps on the scandal. But she offers a weak question. Let's watch Joe Biden stumble anyway.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump: I actually PRE-PAID millions and millions in taxes. I don’t make money from China, Ukraine, or Russia. You do Joe!
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump says he’s going to release his taxes soon. #PresidentialDebate2020
Some of y’all believe anything that man says.
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Kristen Welker has no follow up on Hunter Biden scandal, but she has a follow up about @realDonaldTrump's taxes? Real journalists would jump on the Biden scandal and demand answers. But she's not a real journalist.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden: “I have not take a penny from any foreign source in my life.”
Trump has a bank account in China.
I have released my tax returns. Trump has not. What are you hiding? China’s building a road to one of your golf courses!— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Here comes the wet laptop story!
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump: Joe and got 3.5 million from Russia from Mayor of Moscow’s wife.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
President @realDonaldTrump brings up the Hunter Biden scandal in the perfect way and the perfect time.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump: Joe and got 3.5 million from Russia from Mayor of Moscow’s wife.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Subject: Election threats from Russia.
Biden: Any country that interferes will pay a price. They’re interfering with American sovereignty.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Kristen Welker notes the Iran email intimidation — coincidentally keeps out the fact that it was to help Joe Biden. #Debate2020
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Why won’t Trump dispute what he knew in January? Notice he won’t touch that. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Trump: Joe you’re one who’s raised all the money from Wall Street – (and implies he made deals to get it.)
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Trump: Says states that close are having spikes just like everybody else.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden's facial expressions come off like Kamala Harris pulled him aside and said, "Want to be insufferable like me? Make the faces that I make!" #Debate2020
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden: We ought to be able to safely open but you need resources to open. So he’s saying it’s not enough just to give the green light, businesses/schools need the money to do it.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
“We have the best testing in the world. That’s why we have so many cases.” – Trump #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Biden: We ought to be able to safely open but you need resources to open. So he’s saying it’s not enough just to give the green light, businesses/schools need the money to do it.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
“My son’s infection just went away” – Trump #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
President @realDonaldTrump is coming off well here. He is speaking directly to the people who are economically hurting. Biden doesn't seem to care enough to help those people. #Debate2020
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump: All Joe talks about is shutdowns. My son’s infection just went away…
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
A new study is JUST out — ANOTHER ONE — showing schools aren't spreading the coronavirus. I guess the moderator missed that massive story.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Biden not saying if he would try to mandate shutdowns. Says what schools need is more money to stay open.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden not saying if he would try to mandate shutdowns. Says what schools need is more money to stay open.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
“I’m going to shut down the virus not the country” – Biden #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden, again, lies about "injecting bleach" and lots of people believing it and the media will give it a pass. They'll give the inevitable "good people on both sides" lie a pass too.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
“He says we are learning to live it, no we are learning to die with it” – Biden #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
"People are learning to die with it," is a maddeningly stupid comment from Joe Biden.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
So is the vaccine coming in 2 weeks or the end of the year? Does Trump ever tell the truth? #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Trump: Slips in that Joe’s “made a lot of money someplace…” Foreshadowing!
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Biden predicts a “dark winter.” Trump says Biden screwed up on the H1N1 swine flu.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden, again, refuses to look @realDonaldTrump in the eyes. It's a petty and bad look for him.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Trump says vaccine available "by the end of the year."
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
16k have died since they were last on stage. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gee Scott🎙 (@GeeScottSr) October 23, 2020
Joe Biden blames @realDonaldTrump personally for every single coronavirus death in the US. It's a very bad talking point but I'm sure Andrew Cuomo is happy.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
Joe holds up his mask as he accuses President of having no comprehensive plan.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
The first question on coronavirus is framed in a negative way, to put @realDonaldTrump on the defensive. That's how the subtle bias comes out. But Trump takes it in stride and has a strong opening answer on #covid.
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) October 23, 2020
And the show begins, Joe visibly removes mask as he walks out.
— Dave Ross (@thedaveross) October 23, 2020
The night in Nashville opened with a clash over the president’s handling of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 225,000 Americans and cost millions of jobs. Polling suggests it is the campaign’s defining issue for voters, and Biden declared, “Anyone responsible for that many deaths should not remain President of the United States of America.”
Trump defended his management of the nation’s most deadly health crisis in a century, dismissing Biden’s warning that the nation had a dire stretch ahead due to spikes in infections. And he promised that a vaccine would be ready in weeks.
“It will go away,” said Trump, staying with his optimistic assessment of the pandemic. “We’re rounding the turn. We’re rounding the corner. It’s going away.”
“We can’t keep this country closed. This is a massive country with a massive economy,” Trump said. “There’s depression, alcohol, drugs at a level nobody’s ever seen before. The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself.”
But Biden vowed that his administration would defer to the scientists and said that Trump’s divisive approach hindered the nation’s response.
“I don’t look at this in the way he does — blue states and red states,” Biden said. “They’re all the United States. And look at all the states that are having a spike in he coronavirus — they’re the red states.”
With less than two weeks until the election, Trump portrayed himself as the same outsider he first pitched to voters four years ago, repeatedly saying he wasn’t a politician. Biden, meanwhile, argued that Trump was an incompetent leader of a country facing multiple crises and tried to connect what he saw as the president’s failures to the everyday lives of Americans, especially when it comes to the pandemic.
Final debates often play an outsized role in electoral outcomes. But Thursday night’s showdown was different from those past.
More than 47 million people have already cast their ballots as part of a pandemic-era rise in early voting. In an election dominated by a polarizing president, far fewer undecided voters remain than at this point in 2016.
In a visual reminder of the pandemic that has rewritten the norms of American society and fundamentally changed the campaign, sheets of plexiglass had been installed onstage Wednesday between the two men. But in the hours before the debate, they were removed.
The debate, moderated by NBC’s Kristen Welker, was a final chance for each man to make his case to a television audience of tens of millions of voters. And questions swirled beforehand as to how Trump, whose hectoring performance at the first debate was viewed by aides as a mistake that turned off viewers, would perform amid a stretch of the campaign in which he has taken angry aim at the news media and unleashed deeply personal attacks on Biden and his adult son.
___
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Lemire reported from Washington, Price from Las Vegas. Additional reporting from Steve Peoples in Nashville, Bill Barrow in Atlanta, Alexandra Jaffe, Stephen Braun and Zeke Miller in Washington and Aamer Madhani in Chicago.
