Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Fierce Reaction Pours in After First Trump-Biden Debate

VOA News

   Reaction to Tuesday night's presidential debate between Republican
   President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, his
   Democratic challenger, split along partisan lines but also featured
   sharp criticismofhow the event, often a verbal free-for-all, played
   out.

   Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee,
   tweeted after the debate that "For ninety minutes, @realDonaldTrump
   made a confident, commanding and compelling case for his re-election
   and took Joe Biden to task for supporting radical policies that would
   raise taxes, destroy jobs and make our communities less safe."

     For ninety minutes, [1]@realDonaldTrump made a confident, commanding
     and compelling case for his re-election and took Joe Biden to task
     for supporting radical policies that would raise taxes, destroy jobs
     and make our communities less safe. (1/3)
     -- Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) [2]September 30, 2020

   Tim Murtaugh, the communications director for President Trump's
   re-election campaign, told VOA's Carolyn Presutti the president's
   performance was"fantastic."

   "What viewers saw was President Trump who was in command of every
   moment of the debate, and I think what they saw was a weak Joe Biden,"
   Murtaugh said, "looking around for someone to bail him out."

   Prominent Democrats,meanwhile, called the debate for the former vice
   presidentand said Trump's performance provided ample reasonto deny him
   a second term in office.

   "Donald Trump has failed this country with his lies, bigotry, and
   reckless leadership," tweeted U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey,
   whocompetedagainstBiden for the Democratic presidential
   nominationearlier in the year.Booker in particular denounced the
   presidentfor declining to condemn white supremacists, instead urging
   them to"stand by."

     Donald Trump has failed this country with his lies, bigotry, and
     reckless leadership.
     We can't have four more years of a president who tells white
     supremacists to "stand by."
     The choice in this election is very clear.
     [3]https://t.co/AQNVH52gt4
     -- Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) [4]September 30, 2020

   Many debate watchersslammedthe loud and chaotic exchanges between the
   two candidates, including KarenAttiah, the global opinions editor
   forThe Washington Postnewspaper,who called the event "a national
   embarrassment."

     This whole debate is a national embarrassment
     -- Karen Attiah (@KarenAttiah) [5]September 30, 2020

   Some, including presidential historian MichaelBeschloss,harshly faulted
   the president. "Democracy was trashed tonight by a Presidentwho ran
   roughshod over the rules," he wrote, "refused to condemn white
   supremacists and would not tolerate any form of dissent--a harbinger of
   what a second term might be like,"Beschlosstweeted.

     Democracy was trashed tonight by a President who ran roughshod over
     the rules, refused to condemn white supremacists and would not
     tolerate any form of dissent--a harbinger of what a second term
     might be like.
     -- Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) [6]September 30, 2020

   Others, like former Republican senator Jeff Flake, expressed sorrow
   over the entire spectacle."We are a better country than was on display
   tonight," Flake wrote on Twitter.

     We are a better country than was on display tonight.
     -- Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) [7]September 30, 2020

   University of Virginia political scientistLarry Sabatoposted a blunt
   message on his Twitter account:"CANCEL THE REMAINING PRESIDENTIAL
   DEBATES."

     CANCEL THE REMAINING PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES. It is impossible to have
     an orderly, productive exchange with Donald Trump. Stop pretending
     otherwise. [8]#Debate2020
     -- Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) [9]September 30, 2020

   ButMurtaugh defended theexchanges as illuminating. "I think a
   freewheeling conversation like the president was driving is actually
   good, it allows for a much better exchange of ideas and for viewers to
   see the real difference between the two,"he said.

References

   1. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1311133942632910848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   3. https://t.co/AQNVH52gt4
   4. https://twitter.com/CoryBooker/status/1311142426904535040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   5. https://twitter.com/KarenAttiah/status/1311115220648108032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   6. https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC/status/1311140223997431813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   7. https://twitter.com/JeffFlake/status/1311146301606653953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   8. https://twitter.com/hashtag/Debate2020?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   9. https://twitter.com/LarrySabato/status/1311121410325086208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

.