I took a look, terrible everything. Terrible moderating, terrible questions, terrible performance by two very old men. It also showed that this is a tired format. What is a presidential debate for in 2020? These two have essentially been debating in the public eye for months/years through the 24/7 news cycle, on-demand information, social media, websites, etc. People already know what their positions are, who they are, and what they think. The news networks are all complaining but they got what they wanted, something to attract viewers. That's all this debate was good for... ratings.

Also, my worries about Biden remain. He is making this presidential race increasingly look like it is going to be close. Someone with more stamina, more willingness to target Trump where is real weaknesses are, and answer coherently would have resulted in a landslide victory for the Democrats. With Biden, I am not even sure he can win, let alone by a landslide.

The US is going into this election with the two candidates we have. There is no point in wishing for a different candidate to challenge the president.

I agree that the debate format is a thing of the past. Further, in this case both sides agreed to the rules of the debate, but the me-first president clearly had no intention of keeping his word and allowing his challenger to speak. So the voting public was denied the chance to learn.

Should the remaining debates be scrapped?

When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty. And the pig likes it.

When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty. And the pig likes it.

Pigs are nice animals and give many people lots of pleasure . Kindly do not compare this man to a nice pig........

Quote from Rice

The US is going into this election with the two candidates we have. There is no point in wishing for a different candidate to challenge the president.

I agree that the debate format is a thing of the past. Further, in this case both sides agreed to the rules of the debate, but the me-first president clearly had no intention of keeping his word and allowing his challenger to speak. So the voting public was denied the chance to learn.

Should the remaining debates be scrapped?

When you wrestle with a pig, you both get dirty. And the pig likes it.

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I am not wishing for anything, but I don't think critique should stop the moment something is over. We are talking about a debate that is finished, we are debating Trump regulalry even though he is president and it's done.

Here's the thing for me. Firstly, I am not American so I am not sure how I would react in the actual sitation. However, I doubt I would vote this election if I was American. I don't like what the Democrats did, they had the chance to really change the course of American politics and they didn't. Instead, they stuck with the same tired old formula that people across the country told them 4 years ago they are sick of. Instead, the person who is changing the course of American politics (for the worst) is sitting in the White House.

I think what the Democrats have done this year is political negligence and even slightly corrupt. There are many nefarious reasons why it is better to nominate a career politician instead of an up and comer who may rock the establishment. So, in my opinion, if I were a voter, I would want the Democrats to pay for that negligence. I cannot vote Trump, obviously, so I would not vote at all. The Democrats do not deserve my vote as they clearly did not learn their lesson.

We will see in the coming weeks if the American people are smarter than the Democrats and have learned their lesson. That said, there's no doubt there are many people around the U.S. who think like me.

Not sure which part I saw but it was both hilarious and uncomfortable to watch so I switched it off.

Trump is Trump...you know what to expect. Biden doesn't seem to know how to play it which I suspect might be his downfall.

No matter how much I disliked the choice, I would always vote, because one person is going to win. When you simply don’t participate in the democratic process, you hand the choice to others.

If you believe that the incumbent has failed, not voting is projecting that same failure on the challenger. It is choosing to continue on a path of failure instead of giving another path a try. Not voting is simply giving up.

Excellently put.

I am talking as an outsider, but I do admit if someone takes their right not to vote they should also waive their right to complain about the political ramifications of the election they did not vote in. It would be rich of me not to vote, for example, and then complain about Biden. I think a non vote is removing yourself from the political process.

I can comment as an observer and nothing more. I am also not sure if I am being hyperbolic because I admit there is a chance I would vote despite my protestations. In that instance, it’s safe to say Trump would not be getting my vote and Biden would. And, for what it’s worth I generally like and have liked Biden... just not as a candidate.

Question to UK members: were this your country, but with a similar choice, would you “give a stuff?”

To be fair, I think I have shown that I do give a stuff about what's happening in the U.S. too. If it were the UK I would probably be more annoyed by the two candidates.

As an aside, when was the last time the UK had an outright dangerous prime minister? I can't think when it was. However, I can reel off three from the U.S. in modern history... Nixon, Bush Jr., and Trump. There's something that all those guys share and I think it speaks to the inherent problems in the U.S. democratic system.

Dangerous in what sense? A loose wire?

B Johnson is the worst UK Prime Minister in my lifetime . He is an outright con man . Having said that I am not sure if there any decent people left at Westminster'

Quote from serafina

I can't stand Trump, but as long as his opponent is someone claiming to be against the establishment and looks exactly like someone coming from a privileged position (a white male in his 80s who enjoyed the best America had to offer) I can't see the average American finding himself reflected in such candidate. I have nothing against Joe Biden personally, I am just commenting on the last two Democrats candidates who run against Trump. Very poor choices, if you ask me!

You sum it up very well. I am also concerned that many Americans will be turned off by Biden because he simply does not represent them. Let's be clear, Trump doesn't either and less so than Biden. However, he has done a good job of lying to people and convincing enough of them that he is on their side. I genuinely hope my concerns are unfounded and Biden wins and wins well.

Quote from GlasgowJohn

Dangerous in what sense? A loose wire?

B Johnson is the worst UK Prime Minister in my lifetime . He is an outright con man . Having said that I am not sure if there any decent people left at Westminster'

Yeah, I mean someone who is a loose wire. Nixon and Trump had the ability to potentially damage the democracy of the U.S., whereas Bush Jr. made the whole world unstable, something we are paying for across a range of criteria today.

Agree on Johnson, but I don't put him in the same bracket.

They should put these two people instead of Trump and Biden

[Mr trump is continuing his efforts to strike down the Affordable Care Act, which Americans who are not President of the United States rely upon for healthcare coverage.]

NYT 10-07-2020:

What???