Debate Takeaways: Trump gets personal, Biden hits on virus

President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden met for second and last time on a debate st Thursday after a previously scheduled town hall debate was scrapped after Republican incumbent became one of millions of Americans to contract coronavirus.

For Trump, matchup at Tennessee’s Belmont University was perhaps final opportunity to change dynamics of a race dominated, much to his chagrin, by his response to pandemic and its ecomic fallout. For Biden, it was 90 minutes to solidify an apparent lead less than two weeks before election.

Here are key early takeaways: COVID-19 STILL A DRAG FOR TRUMP

Trump's difficulty articulating a defense of his handling of coronavirus remains a drag on his campaign at a critical juncture. opening topic of debate was entirely predictable — Trump has received variations of same question in interviews and has rarely delivered a clear answer.

Asked to outline his plan for future, Trump instead asserted his prior handling was without fault and predicted a rosy reversal to pandemic that has killed more than 220,000 Americans.

“We’re rounding turn, we’re rounding corner,” Trump claimed, even as cases spike again across country. “It’s going away.”

Biden, who has sought to prosecute Trump’s handling of virus in his closing pitch to voters, came prepared. “Anyone who’s responsible for that many deaths should t remain as president of United States of America,” he said.

Biden added: “He says we’re, you kw, we’re learning to live with it. People are learning to die with it.”

TRUMP TONES IT DONE

Three weeks after drawing bipartisan criticism for his frequent interruptions and badgering of his Democratic rival, Trump adopted a more subdued tone in early portion of debate.

Trump took to asking moderator Kristen Welker for opportunity to follow up on Biden’s answers — “If I may?” — rar than just jumping in, and he thanked Welker repeatedly to boot.

Out of gate, this debate seemed different from first outing, when Trump’s incessant interruptions and flouting of time limits derailed 90-minute contest from outset.

Sure, re still were digs.

“We can’t lock ourselves up in a basement like Joe does,” Trump said, reprising his spring and summer attacks on Biden staying at his residence rar than campaigning in-person amid pandemic.

Biden smirked, laughed and shook his head at Trump. He mocked Trump for once suggesting bleach helped kill coronavirus.

two men had a lengthy back-and-forth about ir personal finances and family business entanglements.

But on whole, voters at home got something y didn’t get on Sept. 29: a debate.

It marked a recognition by Trump that his bombastic side was a liability with seniors and suburban women voters who have flocked from GOP to Democrats.

TRUMP GOES FROM INTERRUPTION TO PERSONAL ATTACK

Aiming to alter trajectory of race, Trump returned to a tactic that he believes boosted him to Oval Office four years ago — relentless personal attacks on his opponent.

Trump repeatedly leveled unsupported allegations against Biden and his son Hunter in an attempt to cast his rival and his family as corrupt.

“I don’t make money from China, you do. I don’t make money from Ukraine, you do,” Trump said.

Trump offered hard proof for his assertions, and he has a record of making claims that don't withstand scrutiny.

A larger question may be wher voters are moved at all, especially those undecided voters whom both candidates are trying to win over.

WHAT IS REAL IMPACT?

More than 46 million Americans had cast ballots by time debate started. Both campaigns ackwledge Biden is has a clear edge for national popular vote.

But Trump still has a path to a second term, through battleground states, by winning a majority in Electoral College.

So debate still has potential to shape race, even with a relatively small pool of voters who say y are undecided.

Trump made it his mission to sully Biden's preferred im as an elected official who looks out for little guy. president hammered Democratic minee as a career politician out to enrich his family.

That's t necessarily about persuading people to vote for Trump, who himself has international business entanglements and a questionable income tax history that he's never fully disclosed to voters. Instead, Trump's play is about making fence sitters, especially in battlegrounds like Florida or Pennsylvania or Arizona, disgusted eugh with ir choices to stay home.

Biden, conversely, seemed intent on steering conversation back to Trump and his handling of pandemic and its ecomic fallout. And he tried at several points to talk directly to camera, pitching his alternative plans. Those are tactics of a challenger nursing a lead: reinforce an argument for firing incumbent and convince wobbly undecideds you're better option.

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