Child’s Play: The 2020 Presidential Debate | Peter Hong

On Tuesday, September 30, 2020, one of the most outlandish events in U.S history unfolded in front of ours eyes during the first presidential debate between current President Donald Trump and his rival, Joe Biden. After nearly an hour of back-and-forth interruption, clamor, and shouting among the candidates, it was safe to say that not only the moderator, Chris Wallace, but also citizens nationwide lost their patience once and for all.

To address the constant interruption prevalent from both sides, Wallace of Fox News stated, “I hate to raise my voice, but why should I be any different from the two of you,” and many believe this statement was geared more towards President Trump, who was oftentimes guilty of cutting Biden and Wallace off during the debate. Amid the pandemonium, however, the two did address some critical questions prevalent in society, including the notorious COVID-19 pandemic, racial justice, the status and plans for the U.S. economy moving forward, climate change, the Supreme Court, and of course, everybody’s favorite, Trump’s taxes.

With countless interruptions, a plethora of very personal attacks, and frequent finger pointing/name calling, many individuals across the country have deemed this debate to be the worst debate they have ever witnessed. This childish debate, however, perfectly mirrors the position America is in as of now: American society is perhaps facing the worst political atmosphere in recent times. The most powerful human being in the country along with his rival are both angry and using their temper flared voices, all while completely refusing to hear the other individual’s opinion altogether.

So, after watching the childish behavior of the two grown men, many have begged the question: “Will this debate change the opinions of any U.S. voters?” Nearly 90% of voters proceeded with watching the debate knowing that they had their minds already made up regarding who they would be voting for. A large number of voters have already submitted their ballots.

Yet, even the smallest of advantages could prove to be critical in determining the outcome of the election. In the 2016 election, Trump was extremely dependent on the small percentage of voters in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to win the election. On a similar note, the two dedicated a whopping fifteen minutes of time too discuss the legitimacy of the voting occurring throughout the country, whether by mail or in person. Experts have claimed that fraud and deception at the national level is highly unlikely because of the widespread nature of the election’s voting process. Trump, on the other hand, has rejected this notion as a whole and has instead claimed that he is extremely worried about the legitimacy of these votes. Biden urged individuals to vote, and as a result, downplayed the concerns about fraudulent votes and claimed he would accept the result regardless of the outcome.

After all, we must all consider the actions that we can take to dictate the future of our country. Now, our say and vote in the election is more critical than ever, given America’s current political situation. Polling conducted after the debate concluded that Biden gained a very slim advantage over his rival candidate. What is exponentially clearer, however, is who ended up losing: U.S. citizens.