US incumbent President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are locked in a highly intense 2024 rematch, but their first debate four years ago was filled with insults, grudges and interruptions.
At the initial debate in Cleveland, then-President Trump seemed intent on overpowering Biden at every opportunity, which left the Democratic nominee frustrated and moderator Chris Wallace scurrying to recover control.
Unlike 2020, this year Biden's team and the Trump campaign have agreed on several regulations that are intended to reduce the likelihood of a disruptive rerun. During the CNN debate on Thursday, June 27, Trump and Biden's microphones will be muted except when it is their moment to speak. Moreover, there won't be any audience in the CNN studio in Atlanta to offer encouragement or criticism.
The second and final presidential debate in 2020 between Trump and Biden was conducted in Nashville, Tennessee. It was significantly a low-key affair than the first, with the use of a mute button and attendees who were possibly put off by the negative feedback from the first debate, especially for Trump.
In contrast to 2024, the world was in mayhem with the outbreak of COVID-19 when Biden and Trump debated last time. Trump had recovered from coronavirus and vaccines to treat the highly-contagious infection were about to hit the market.
{{/usCountry}}In contrast to 2024, the world was in mayhem with the outbreak of COVID-19 when Biden and Trump debated last time. Trump had recovered from coronavirus and vaccines to treat the highly-contagious infection were about to hit the market.
{{/usCountry}}The US economy was gradually recovering from the COVID-19 recession, as well as, from demonstrations after the police killing of George Floyd. One of the hot topics was the attempts made by the Chinese and Russian foreign entities to meddle the US elections. The entire country was getting ready to hold its first national election, which would be primarily carried out by mail-in ballot.
Ahead of their most-awaited face-off on June 27, let's have a look at their last debates. While one took place in late September, another was conducted in October 2020.
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'What this clown's doing?'
The debate started with a quick discussion about the Supreme Court vacancy following the sudden demise of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. However, the duo indulged into heated conversation when they began talking about health care and Trump's COVID-19 management.
At one point, Biden told Wallace, "You're not going to be able to shut him up".
Trump continued to interrupt Biden until he expressed his frustration by asking, "Donald, would you just be quiet for a minute?"
However, Trump remained unflinching and even refused to allow Wallace to inquire with him about his Obamacare replacement plan.
Biden, while expressing his annoyance to the crowd, asked, "Folks, do you have any idea what this clown's doing?"
‘Will you shut up, man?’
In one of the several clips from the chaos in Cleveland, Biden can be seen eventually yelling at Trump, saying, "Will you shut up, man?"
It happened amid a conversation on progressive plans to change the Supreme Court or Senate procedural methods that have proven difficult for an institutionalist like Biden to address.
‘Don’t ever use the word smart with me’
Trump didn't think twice to get personal, disparaging the Democrat's academic achievements and attacking Biden's only surviving son, Hunter.
Trump criticised Biden's intelligence by using the word "smart." The attack came after Biden targeted the GOP rival with a warning that more Americans will succumb to COVID unless Trump acts "smartly" in his handling of the outbreak.
“Did you use the word smart?” Trump asked Biden. “So you said you went to Delaware State, but you forgot the name of your college. You didn’t go to Delaware State. You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class.”
He further told Biden to “not use the the word smart with me,” because “there’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
‘Are you talking about Hunter?’
Biden further slammed Trump's attitude towards military and servicemen, stating that his son, Beau, died of brain cancer. He mentioned that he was deployed in Iraq and received the Bronze Star and Conspicuous Service Medal. "He was not a loser. He was a patriot," he asserted.
Hitting back, Trump quipped, “Are you talking about Hunter?” mentioning that he didn't know Beau. ”I know Hunter. Hunter got thrown out of the military."
After testing positive for cocaine in 2014, Hunter was administratively dismissed from the Navy.
“My son… like a lot of people we know at home had a drug problem. He’s overtaken it,” Biden remarked, expressing his pride in his kid.