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Phew! In fact, we got to hear some substance.
After their first debate was dominated by rancor and interruptions, this time Joe Biden and Donald Trump were much more focused and restrained.
They were ably assisted by a moderator who asked considerate but thoughtful questions, was firm without being rude, and respectfully followed up with fact-checks when necessary.
But the debate was not limited to the lines of attack and we saw two candidates present completely different final arguments on reshaping the immigration system, two divergent forecasts on the coronavirus and opposing views on climate change.
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In COVID-19, Trump promised that he would “go away.” Biden, by contrast, called for much stricter federal action to prepare for a “dark winter.”
Predictable shots, but there was a surprise: the president for the first time said “I take full responsibility” for the impact of the virus. He also blamed China immediately afterward.
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On immigration and race, Trump appeared to strike a few blows, reminding the audience that it was the Obama administration that built cages to house immigrant children and Joe Biden himself who voted for the controversial Crime Bill in 1994 that saw many black men wrongly imprisoned. long sentences.
That may well resonate with black male voters who have long felt alienated from the political class and have haunting memories of that period in American history.
Trump’s opponent was able to return fire, if not so openly, by highlighting “institutional racism” and making it clear that children separated from their parents were not, as the president argued, “well cared for.” In fact, they were effectively orphaned and many are still waiting to be reunited.
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What was most memorable and perhaps most effective was that Trump presented Biden as a creature of the “swamp,” brandishing the unproven accusations about Biden’s son Hunter to accuse his rival of taking money personally from foreign interests.
An investigation by Senate Republicans found no evidence that Biden, the former vice president, committed wrongdoing in his son’s business. But Trump clearly believes that history is his best chance to undermine Biden in recent days.
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The president had a solid performance, sometimes appearing to have the upper hand. That may help win over some of the tremendously small group of undecided voters.
But polls would suggest he needed a knockout blow and he didn’t feel that way.
It has closed the margins in key states in recent days and won in 2016 without ‘winning’ the debates.
But the battle lines are more fixed than they were then and it seems unlikely to reshape them with a single debate.
