It’s safe to say that many of us had low expectations for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden in their final presidential debate. But with less than two weeks left before Election Day, the two candidates spent the evening (mostly) answering questions many Americans had on their minds. The different rules set out by the debate commission – including muting the candidates’ microphones after their allotted time to speak – contributed to fewer interruptions.
While Trump and Biden definitely gave moderator Kristen Welker the run-around, there were still a few key moments you’ll want to remember in the days ahead.
1. Biden finally got to talk about big policy issues
In Biden’s first debate performance, many noticed his inability to keep cool facing Trump’s fire, at one point asking the president to “shut up.” Last night, however, Biden was able to stay calm and collected, while also packaging complex messages in simple phrases directed toward the American people.
I don’t look at this the way Donald Trump does — blue states or red states. They’re all the United States.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 23, 2020
This time around, Biden was able to lay out his plan for healthcare reform, including creating a public option under the Affordable Care Act and keeping private insurance opportunities open for 111 million+ Americans. He dove deeper on the passage (or lack thereof) of the HEROES Act and how he would raise the minimum wage. Overall, there was focus on partisan issues, and Biden highlighted a path forward. Joe Biden is currently leading President Donald Trump 50% to 41% nationally in the polls.
2. Trump was sharper and calmer, but he still didn’t tell the truth
One major critique of both candidates in the first debate was their inability to respect allotted speaking time. Trump showed real restraint throughout the final debate, in stark contrast to his September debut. While the bar was very low, Trump’s discipline does have potential to reassure his conservative base.
Many of Trump’s talking points contained false claims about the coronavirus pandemic – and pretty much everything else. However, he did ask Biden several hard-hitting questions about the former Vice President’s criminal justice record and healthcare plans during the Obama administration.
3. Both candidates took the final performance seriously
With millions of Americans having already cast their ballots in record voter turnout, this presidential debate between Trump and Biden was the final chance to urge new, undecided and independent voters to the polls.
Both candidates kept to their themes. And because the American audience was better able to hear, the debate painted a clearer picture of what to expect from each candidate during their potential term. While Trump kept circling back to Biden’s lack of action during his tenure in office, Biden hammered home his character and empathy as a balm for the country’s divisive atmosphere.
The stakes were high, but the candidates at least delivered something.