# 2020 POTUS Debate 1 (29 September) follow-along and discussion thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 30, 2020, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854 "2020-09-30T00:30:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/241 "2020-09-30T02:43:29Z")
I think Trump’s adderall started to wear off at the end and that’s when he starts becoming more unhinged and throwing out more weird random qanon shit. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/242 "2020-09-30T02:43:31Z")
NBC just called it a hot mess, and also slammed Chris Wallace for not having control. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/243 "2020-09-30T02:43:57Z")
Biden totally laid down. Pathetic. And utterly predictable. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/244 "2020-09-30T02:44:04Z")
Surely the biggest lie of the debate came at the end, from Chris Wallace asserting that it was “interesting.” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/245 "2020-09-30T02:44:15Z")
Is the moderator’s job to see to a clean debate or to entertain the viewers? In this day and age I think it is the latter (sadly). They need to disable the mics of participants when it is not their turn to talk. Easy-peasy. ---
**Author:** ![Mickyfinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e19b73/32.png) [@Mickyfinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mickyfinn)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/246 "2020-09-30T02:44:17Z")
Watching ABC. Chris Christie crawling up Trump’s ass. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/247 "2020-09-30T02:44:31Z")
I thought Biden did okay. No big gaffes, and probably no little gaffes. And had some good shots in, without any big risks. My big worry was a giant gaffe or some sort of appearance of senility. But Trump was the one who didn’t appear as anything close to a normal human, not Biden. I think it was fine, and based on the polling, that’s good enough. More than that, it’s probably as good as we can possibly hope for from an aging politician who was never a great debater anyway. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/248 "2020-09-30T02:46:24Z")
Shit show, hot mess, trainwreck, eh, about what was expected > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > They need to disable the mics of participants when it is not their turn to talk. > > Easy-peasy. Oh, who, those professional cowards at the networks, cringing for their precious, precious access? ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/249 "2020-09-30T02:46:38Z")
Biden did what he had to do. Not falter. He can run down the clock two weeks now. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/250 "2020-09-30T02:46:54Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > I thought Biden did okay. Sure. No votes were changed today but Trump was able to throw red meat to his base and Biden came across as milquetoast. Will Biden be better than Trump? Yup…absolutely by about a bazillion times. Will Biden inspire a country to something better? Not seeing it. This really feels like Biden is playing a game of “don’t lose” rather than trying to win. You often see this in sports and it can be a bad call. I suppose mathematically that is the right play but then Clinton did the same and we know how that turned out. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/251 "2020-09-30T02:48:35Z")
Anderson Cooper called Trump’s performance as “obesely immoral.” ---
**Author:** ![Hermione1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d07c76/32.png) [@Hermione1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermione1)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/252 "2020-09-30T02:48:41Z")
I know some here have protested how Biden let certain of Trump’s insults pass without calling him out, but maybe it’s better that Biden wasn’t playing Trump’s game and letting him drag him off-message. A commentator on ABC just pointed out that the body language said it all…Trump was turned towards Biden for most of it, pointing his finger at Biden, while Biden was often turned to the camera, addressing the American people. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/253 "2020-09-30T02:48:42Z")
> [@Mickyfinn](#): > > Chris Christie crawling up Trump’s ass. That’s gotta hurt. …I’ll get my coat. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/254 "2020-09-30T02:49:03Z")
He’s Joe Biden. He did okay. Did anyone expect some sort of magnificent revelation of a performance? I don’t know why. This is Joe Biden we’re talking about. He did about as well as he probably could have. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/255 "2020-09-30T02:49:21Z")
You know who we need to moderate these debates? Arnold Schwarzenegger. Not even a joke. The dude is super smart, super kind, truly gives a shit about this country, is a Republican, and is the age peer of the candidates so that he could get up and bodyslam them if needed without looking like a bully. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/256 "2020-09-30T02:49:21Z")
Why don’t shut off they opponents microphones? And put a transparent divider between them? What a rude president reveling himself in the raw like it was his rally. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/257 "2020-09-30T02:49:24Z")
Yeah, the needle didn’t move at all. If you’re a trump fan you enjoyed his bullying, if you’re a Biden fan you appreciated his command of the facts. It’s like the eternal Ginger vs. Mary Anne debate. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/258 "2020-09-30T02:50:18Z")
I added to my post (edited it) but this thread moves fast so here is that extra bit: This really feels like Biden is playing a game of “don’t lose” rather than trying to win. You often see this in sports and it can be a bad call. I suppose mathematically that is the right play but then Clinton did the same and we know how that turned out. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/259 "2020-09-30T02:51:29Z")
Christie said Biden was rude. Lol ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854/260 "2020-09-30T02:51:59Z")
Telling Trump to shut up at least twice is milquetoast? Telling Trump that he’s the worst President we’ve ever had is milquetoast? Calling Trump a racist to his face is milquetoast? Oh, BTW, Biden called Trump a liar at least twice too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2020-potus-debate-1-29-september-follow-along-and-discussion-thread/921854.md?page=14)