UNITED STATES, Sept 29: Here are some of the quotes making news at the first U.S. 2020 presidential debate on Tuesday between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden ahead of the Nov. 3 election:
SUPREME COURT
Trump, asked about whether Judge Amy Coney Barrett should be nominated to the Supreme Court before the election: “We won the election. Elections have consequences.
“We have the Senate and we have the White House and we have a phenomenal nominee respected by all.
“... I think that she (Barrett) will be outstanding. She will be as good as anybody who has ever served on that court. We won the election and therefore we had the right to choose her.”
Biden: “We should wait, we should wait and see what the outcome of this election is.” Pivoting to the Affordable Care Act, Biden said, “I’m not opposed to the justice. She seems like a very fine person. But she’s written ... that she thinks the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional. The president’s made it clear he wants to get rid of the Affordable Care Act. He’s been running on that.”
Trump interjected, “As far as a say is concerned, the American people have already had their say. ... I’m not elected for 3-1/2 years.”
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Responded Biden: “He’s elected until the next election. ... The election’s already started.”
HEALTHCARE
Biden, told by Trump that he has adopted former Democratic presidential rival Bernie Sanders’ “socialized medicine” proposals: “Everybody here knows he’s a liar. ... You picked the wrong guy on the wrong night at the wrong time.”
“... Folks, do you have any idea what this clown’s doing? I tell you what, he is not for anybody needing healthcare.”
After Trump explained his health proposal, Biden said, “He has no plan for healthcare. ... The fact is this man has no idea what he’s talking about.”
At another point, while being interrupted by Trump, Biden said, “Will you shut up, man. This is so unpresidential. ... Keep yapping, man.”
‘WILL YOU SHUT UP, MAN?’
Trump is used to sparring with reporters, and he kicked off Tuesday’s debate by using the same tactic he uses in the White House briefing room: interrupting.
Trump repeatedly interrupted or sought to talk over Biden and the debate’s moderator, Fox News host Chris Wallace, during a discussion about the Supreme Court and the Affordable Care Act.
At times the debate split-screen showed the two candidates trying to talk over one another while Wallace spoke at the same time, pleading for clarity.
“Please let the vice president talk,” Wallace admonished Trump during one of his interruptions after earlier making clear that he was the moderator. “Will you shut up, man?” Biden eventually said to Trump.
GUEST LIST
Presidential candidates invite guests to debates with a calculated purpose: to emphasize a core campaign theme.
Ann Dorn, whose retired police officer husband was killed amid anti-racism protests in St. Louis in June, is among Trump’s guests, a month after appearing in a video on his behalf at the Republican National Convention. Trump has hammered away at a “law-and-order” message in response to widespread civil unrest over police brutality and racism and accused Democrats of failing to support law enforcement.
Another Trump guest is former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who played an integral role in trying to find dirt on Biden’s son Hunter and his business dealings in Ukraine. Although the effort helped lead to Trump’s impeachment, Giuliani’s presence lends credence to reports that Trump intends to attack Hunter Biden anew at the debate.
Biden’s guests include Kristin Urquiza, whose father, a Trump supporter, died of the coronavirus after dismissing its deadliness. The former vice president has sought as much as possible to turn the campaign into a referendum on Trump, and specifically on his handling of the outbreak, which has killed more than 205,000 Americans.
Biden’s other guests included two local residents: Gurnee Green, a small-business owner, and James Evanoff, a steelworkers union member, who both represent the working families Biden is fighting for, his campaign said.
