2020 Presidential Debates Recap: Part 3

November 2, 2020 / Source: The Bizz USA
By Elizabeth Insuasti; Edited by Haarika Kalahasti

The Final Presidential debate between President Trump and Vice President Biden was held at Belmont University in Nashville on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 9pm EST. It ran uninterrupted for an hour and a half and was by Kristen Welker of NBC.

It was the final, high-stakes showdown in this eventful and rather turbulous election season. 

Stricter mask wearing rules were enforced during the debate. Trump, Biden, and moderator Kristen Welker did not wear masks and were set up to be more than 12 feet apart from each other. The audience also had to follow social distancing requirements, with several seats intentionally left empty.

Notable Quotes and Moments: 

• One of the topics of debate was Biden’s position on transitioning from the oil industry, one of which many republicans fear to be a decision that will ruin the economy. 
  • “I would transition from the oil industry, yes,” Biden said.
  • “Oh. There’s a big statement,” President Donald Trump responded.
  • “It is a big statement,” Biden shot back.

 

• Joe Biden remarked that Donald Trump has “a dog whistle about as big as a foghorn,” condemning the president’s racist rhetoric. The attack from the Democratic nominee came after Trump again argued that he had done more for African Americans than any of his predecessors, with the “possible exception” of Lincoln.

 

• Trump also criticized Biden for his role in helping craft the 1994 crime bill, and repeatedly claimed that he was the “least racist person” in the room.

 

• As the two candidates spoke about racial injustice across the country, Trump instilled doubt about Biden’s ability to get the job done by pointing out that he wasn’t able to change the justice system as vice president. Following Biden’s promises for reform, Trump asked, “But why didn't he do it four years ago?”
  • “I ran because of you,” Trump told Biden. “If I thought you did a good job, I never would have run.”
  • “...here is one of the most racist presidents we’ve had in modern history,” Biden said. “He pours fuel on every single racist fire. Every single one.”

 

• President Donald Trump defended his administration’s policy of separating families at the border. During the debate, however, Trump went after Biden and Obama for creating detention facilities for undocumented immigrants in the first place.
  • “Who made the cages, Joe,” (Trump).
  • Joe Biden responded by saying he and former President Barack Obama “made a mistake.”

 

• Former Vice President Biden said he supported raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
  • “I do, because I think one of the things we're going to have to do we're going to have to bail them out, too. We should be bailing them out now, those small businesses. You've got one in six of them going under. They're not going to be able to make it back” (Biden).
  • Trump, who said he would consider raising the minimum wage if he wins the re-election, challenged him, saying that raising the minimum wage would not help business owners who are fighting to keep the doors open.

 

• “North Korea, we're not in a war. We have a good relationship” (Trump).
  • “That's like saying we had a good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded … the rest of Europe. Come on" (Biden).

 

• Healthcare: 
  • “What I’m going to do is pass Obamacare with a public option, become Bidencare,” the Democratic nominee said.
  • President Donald Trump acknowledged that he was seeking to “terminate” Obamacare while promising to “come up with a brand new, beautiful health care” plan. 

 

• Taxes: 
  • “Deep down in the IRS, they treat me horribly. We made a deal. It was all settled until I decided to run for president. I get treated very badly by the IRS. Very unfairly” Trump added in reference to his tax return scandal of which he only paid a total of $750.
  • “I have many bank accounts and they're all listed and they're all over the place,” Trump said. “I was a businessman doing business.”

 

• “We’re about to go into a dark winter. A dark winter,” Biden said. “And he has no clear plan, and there’s no prospect that there’s going to be a vaccine available for the majority of the American people before the middle of next year.”
  • “I don’t know if we’re going to have a dark winter at all. We’re opening up our country. We’ve learned and studied and understand the disease, which we didn’t at the beginning.” (Trump)

Conclusion
Tomorrow, November 3rd marks the one and only Election Day. As of right now, early voting is no longer available, neither is mail in ballots unless they are physically dropped off at polling stations, in many states across the country. As the culmination of this election season comes to a close tomorrow, please vote! No matter who it is you agree with more it is extremely vital to let your voice be heard through your vote. If you're over 18 and registered, go to the polls before it's too late!