The debate featured President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.
Issues discussed included economic policies, election integrity, and social issues such as abortion rights and immigration.
The debate was moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Biden's Performance
Occasional halting speech and confusion in words, raising questions about his fitness for presidency.
Criticized Trump for being a whiner and discussed tax policies.
Attempted to clarify his stance on taxing the wealthiest for social goals but was unclear.
Defended his record on immigration, veterans care, and climate change.
Trump's Performance
Refused to answer questions about accepting election results; often overinflated his record.
Blamed inflation on Biden and claimed the economy was best under his leadership until COVID-19.
Misrepresented facts about abortion rights and made misleading claims about late-term abortions.
Focused heavily on immigration as a key issue, linking it to job loss among African Americans.
Debate Highlights
The debate included personal jibes about fitness to lead, often veering into trivial topics such as golfing abilities.
Discussions on economy: Both were asked about feelings of being worse off under Biden's administration.
Biden criticized Trump's tax cuts for increasing national debt.
Key Issues Discussed
Economy
Trump: Claimed best economy under his administration pre-COVID.
Biden: Criticized Trump's tax cuts, suggesting they increased national debt.
Inflation blame game between the candidates.
Abortion Rights
Trump: Asserted that everyone wanted Roe v. Wade overturned; misread public opinion.
Biden: Criticized differing state policies on abortion, likening it to disparate civil rights laws.
Immigration
Biden: Highlighted efforts for bipartisan immigration reform and criticized Trump's family separation policy.
Trump: Claimed immigration taking jobs from African Americans and maintained stance on strong border policies.
Foreign Policy
Ukraine: Trump criticized US spending on Ukraine; Biden noted aid in form of US-manufactured weapons.
Israel and Gaza: Biden supported peace plans and criticized Trump for not moderating actions.
Russia: Trump deemed Putin's territorial demands unacceptable but critiqued US financial support.
Legal and Personal Issues
Biden referenced Trump's civil penalties related to sexual misconduct allegations.
Trump brought up Biden’s son Hunter's legal issues and hinted at using justice system against Biden.
Election Integrity
Trump remained evasive about accepting future election results, citing past grievances over alleged fraud.
Biden emphasized no evidence of fraud in the 2020 election, casting doubt on Trump's willingness to accept 2024 results.
Climate Change
Trump: Avoided acknowledging climate change, focused on clean air and water during his tenure.
Biden: Highlighted Democratic legislation on climate change as critical to addressing existential threats.
Conclusion
The debate showcased contrasting approaches to policy and leadership, with both candidates drawing significant attention to their previous records and future plans.