Candidates tone it down at final debate that focuses mostly on policy

The candidates faced off for some 90 minutes, mostly around the response for COVID-19, the economy, and health insurance.

By OMRI NAHMIAS
President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Biden participate in their second debate in Nashville (photo credit: REUTERS)
President Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Biden participate in their second debate in Nashville
(photo credit: REUTERS)
WASHINGTON - The second and final debate of the 2020 election is over after President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden sparred for 90 minutes in Nashville. First and foremost, it will be remembered due to the sharp contrast with the first debate. Tonight was more substantive and civil, and while the moderator, Kristen Welker, had a mute button in case one of the candidates would speak more than two minutes, she rarely had to use it. The interruptions were minimal, and both candidates were trying to make their case to the American people, with only 11 days left to go.
The candidates faced off for some 90 minutes, mostly around the response for COVID-19, the economy, and health insurance. Biden distanced himself from the left flank of his Party, after the President constantly tried to tie him to Senator Bernie Sanders' health plan, and said: "He's a confused guy. He doesn't know who he's running against. He's running against Joe Biden."
On the other hand, Trump threw some effective punches at Biden when he kept asking about the former Vice President's plans why he didn't get those things done while he was in office. "All talk, and no action," Trump kept saying. At least once, on immigration reform, Biden had voiced an implied criticism of former President Barack Obama. "It took too long," Biden said. "I will be the President of the United States, not Vice President."
On the climate change segment of the debate, Biden said that the US should transition away from oil – a position that could make his plea for voters in Texas and other states much more challenging.
Biden also challenged Trump to prove he was against fracking while campaigning to be a Democratic nominee, but a video from a Democratic debate in July 2019 shows Biden voicing a critical position on fracking. The issue is significant, specifically in Pennsylvania, which is considered the single likeliest tipping point for these elections. These two comments on oil and fracking were ones the Biden campaign would prefer to avoid.
The Democratic nominee slammed Trump for his administration on COVID-19, and doubted Trump's optimism that a vaccine is imminent. When the President said: "We’re rounding the corner, It’s going away,” Biden said that the US is entering a “dark winter.”
"If you hear nothing else I say tonight hear this ... Anyone who's responsible for that many deaths should not remain as president of the United States of America," Biden added.
The debate got personal at one point in the evening when Trump went after Biden for his son Hunter's business dealings in Ukraine and China and suggested that the Democratic nominee is involved in corruption, allegations that Biden flatly denied. Biden then turned to the camera and spoke to the viewers at home: “It is not about my family or his family, it’s about your family. If you’re a middle-class family, you’re getting hurt badly right now. Trump sent a barb at Biden, and said he is changing the subject: “That’s a typical political statement, let’s get off this China thing… I am not a typical politician.”
The expectations before the debate were high, but the event seems to have changed little of the election trajectory at the end of the day. At this point, most of the voters have made up their minds, and the election will be decided mostly on voter turnout. And as early voting is already underway, mobilizing voters would be the candidates prime focus in the remaining time until November 3.


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