The Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, is preparing in Utah for the October 7 debate with Vice President Mike Pence at the University of Utah. Watch report

Mike Pence and Kamala Harris preparing for a face-off in salt lake city

US Presidential nominee Joe Biden has said that he doesn't want to attack Donald Trump and the first lady Melania Trump now as both are now fighting the coronavirus. The medical team has confirmed that Trump was given oxygen on Friday and there are chances that he can be discharged by Monday.

Trump's Health Update: Discharge possible Monday, was given oxygen on Friday

It was perhaps the most anticipated 'Saturday Night Live' season premiere in almost 20 years — the show’s first live broadcast in more than six months, hosted by Chris Rock, and its first to be produced under the new guidelines of the coronavirus era.

The last live episode of&nbsp; 'SNL' had been broadcast March 7; it was hosted by Daniel Craig and featured a few segments in which the show tried to find what humor it could in the looming pandemic. Then the show announced it was suspending its season altogether, only to come back with three episodes of remotely produced sketches, filmed mostly at the homes of its cast members.

'SNL' tends to generate its biggest audiences in presidential election years, and the series’ creator, Lorne Michaels, further stoked expectations by tapping Jim Carrey to play former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee.

But the show is also contending with a slew of new health and safety regulations, and as recently as a few days ago, Michaels wasn’t entirely sure that he and his cast and crew could stick the landing: “We’re going to be as surprised as everyone else when it actually goes on,” he told The New York Times in an interview. And questions lingered before Saturday as to whether a live audience would attend. (It did, under visible restrictions.)

That would have all been challenging enough. But then 'SNL' had to start its season by recapping a week in which President Donald Trump was hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 and in which the first lady, Melania Trump, along with several Republican senators and high-ranking Republican officials, tested positive for the coronavirus.

Perhaps the closest comparable moment in 'SNL' history was the season opener of Sept. 29, 2001, the show’s first new broadcast after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. That episode began with a call for unity from Rudy Giuliani, then the mayor of New York, who was flanked by police officers and firefighters as he told the audience, “Even as we grieve for our loved ones, it’s up to us to face the future with renewed determination.” Paul Simon played “The Boxer,” and Michaels famously asked Giuliani, “Can we be funny?” Giuliani answered, “Why start now?”

This time around, 'SNL' simply opened with a sendup of Tuesday’s chaotic debate between Trump and Biden.

Presidential Debate Parody of the Week

The segment opened with a voice-over promising a replay of the debate, “even though Tuesday feels like 100 days ago.” Onstage, Beck Bennett played the hapless moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, while Alec Baldwin returned to his recurring role as Trump.

Bennett began to explain the rules.

“Each candidate will have 2 minutes, uninterrupted,” he said, only to be immediately interrupted by Baldwin.

“Boring!” Baldwin declared. He said to Bennett, “Tell that to my Adderall, Chris, now let’s get this show on the road and off the rails.”

Asked if he had taken the test for coronavirus, Baldwin answered: “Absolutely. Scout’s honor.”

Playing Biden for the first time, Carrey strode onto the stage in aviator glasses while making finger guns at the audience. He produced a tape measure, sized up the distance between himself and Baldwin, then picked up his lectern and moved it further away.

Asked if he was ready to debate, Carrey answered: “Absolutely not. But I’ve got the beginning of 46 fantastic ideas I may or may not have access to. Now let’s do this. I’m holding my bladder.”

Throughout the segment, Carrey (as Biden) tried to exercise some restraint: “Don’t let your inner Whitey Bulger come out,” he told himself. “Flash that smile they taught you in anger management.”

Bennett, meanwhile, emphasized Wallace’s passivity. At one point he told Baldwin, “Mr. President, if you keep interrupting this debate, I’ll do absolutely nothing about it.”

Maya Rudolph appeared briefly in her recurring role as Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. She told the two presidential candidates, “America needs a WAP: woman as president. But for now, I’ll settle for HVPIC: hot vice president in charge.”

After Baldwin (as Trump) demurred on the topic of white supremacy, Carrey produced a remote control and paused Baldwin in midsentence.

“Sorry, but I think we all needed a break,” Carrey said. “Isn’t that satisfying?”

Speaking directly to the camera, Carrey added: “You can trust me. Because I believe in science and karma. Now, just imagine if science and karma could somehow team up to send us all a message about how dangerous this virus can be.”

He looked over his shoulder at Baldwin, then continued: “I’m not saying I want it to happen. Just imagine if it did.”

Before he, Baldwin and Rudolph ended the sketch, Carrey’s Biden introduced his own campaign slogan: “Make America Actively Not on Fire Again.”

Opening Monologue of the Week

Rock, the stand-up star and “SNL” alumnus, wasted no time in addressing what he called the elephant in the room: “President Trump’s in the hospital, from COVID,” he said, “and I just want to say, my heart goes out to COVID.” He added that this was a unique show for “SNL” and that, like everyone around him, he had been tested frequently.

“I haven’t had so much stuff up my nose since I shared a dressing room with Chris Farley,” he said.

Pointing out members of the “SNL” studio audience that he described as first responders, Rock said, “They’re so good, we let people die tonight so they could see a good show.”

Assuming that Biden would be elected, Rock said that he should be America’s last president ever and that a new system of government should be instituted after him.

“What job do you have for four years, no matter what?” Rock asked. “If you hired a cook and he was making people vomit every day, do you sit there and go, ‘Well, he’s got a four-year deal; we’ve just got to vomit for four more years’?”

More sincerely, Rock concluded his monologue with a quotation from James Baldwin: “‘Not everything that is faced can be changed,’” he said, “‘but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’”

It was perhaps the most anticipated 'Saturday Night Live' season premiere in almost 20 years — the show’s first live broadcast in more than six months, hosted by Chris Rock, and its first to be produced under the new guidelines of the coronavirus era.

It was perhaps the most anticipated 'Saturday Night Live' season premiere in almost 20 years — the show’s first live broadcast in more than six months, hosted by Chris Rock, and its first to be produced under the new guidelines of the coronavirus era. The last live episode of 'SNL' had been broadcast March 7; it was hosted by Daniel Craig and featured a few segments in which the show tried to find what humor it could in the looming pandemic. Then the show announced it was suspending its season altogether, only to come back with three episodes of remotely produced sketches, filmed mostly at the homes of its cast members. 'SNL' tends to generate its biggest audiences in presidential election years, and the series’ creator, Lorne Michaels, further stoked expectations by tapping Jim Carrey to play former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee. But the show is also contending with a slew of new health and safety regulations, and as recently as a few days ago, Michaels wasn’t entirely sure that he and his cast and crew could stick the landing: “We’re going to be as surprised as everyone else when it actually goes on,” he told The New York Times in an interview. And questions lingered before Saturday as to whether a live audience would attend. (It did, under visible restrictions.) That would have all been challenging enough. But then 'SNL' had to start its season by recapping a week in which President Donald Trump was hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19 and in which the first lady, Melania Trump, along with several Republican senators and high-ranking Republican officials, tested positive for the coronavirus. Perhaps the closest comparable moment in 'SNL' history was the season opener of Sept. 29, 2001, the show’s first new broadcast after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. That episode began with a call for unity from Rudy Giuliani, then the mayor of New York, who was flanked by police officers and firefighters as he told the audience, “Even as we grieve for our loved ones, it’s up to us to face the future with renewed determination.” Paul Simon played “The Boxer,” and Michaels famously asked Giuliani, “Can we be funny?” Giuliani answered, “Why start now?” This time around, 'SNL' simply opened with a sendup of Tuesday’s chaotic debate between Trump and Biden. Presidential Debate Parody of the Week The segment opened with a voice-over promising a replay of the debate, “even though Tuesday feels like 100 days ago.” Onstage, Beck Bennett played the hapless moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, while Alec Baldwin returned to his recurring role as Trump. Bennett began to explain the rules. “Each candidate will have 2 minutes, uninterrupted,” he said, only to be immediately interrupted by Baldwin. “Boring!” Baldwin declared. He said to Bennett, “Tell that to my Adderall, Chris, now let’s get this show on the road and off the rails.” Asked if he had taken the test for coronavirus, Baldwin answered: “Absolutely. Scout’s honor.” Playing Biden for the first time, Carrey strode onto the stage in aviator glasses while making finger guns at the audience. He produced a tape measure, sized up the distance between himself and Baldwin, then picked up his lectern and moved it further away. Asked if he was ready to debate, Carrey answered: “Absolutely not. But I’ve got the beginning of 46 fantastic ideas I may or may not have access to. Now let’s do this. I’m holding my bladder.” Throughout the segment, Carrey (as Biden) tried to exercise some restraint: “Don’t let your inner Whitey Bulger come out,” he told himself. “Flash that smile they taught you in anger management.” Bennett, meanwhile, emphasized Wallace’s passivity. At one point he told Baldwin, “Mr. President, if you keep interrupting this debate, I’ll do absolutely nothing about it.” Maya Rudolph appeared briefly in her recurring role as Sen. Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee. She told the two presidential candidates, “America needs a WAP: woman as president. But for now, I’ll settle for HVPIC: hot vice president in charge.” After Baldwin (as Trump) demurred on the topic of white supremacy, Carrey produced a remote control and paused Baldwin in midsentence. “Sorry, but I think we all needed a break,” Carrey said. “Isn’t that satisfying?” Speaking directly to the camera, Carrey added: “You can trust me. Because I believe in science and karma. Now, just imagine if science and karma could somehow team up to send us all a message about how dangerous this virus can be.” He looked over his shoulder at Baldwin, then continued: “I’m not saying I want it to happen. Just imagine if it did.” Before he, Baldwin and Rudolph ended the sketch, Carrey’s Biden introduced his own campaign slogan: “Make America Actively Not on Fire Again.” Opening Monologue of the Week Rock, the stand-up star and “SNL” alumnus, wasted no time in addressing what he called the elephant in the room: “President Trump’s in the hospital, from COVID,” he said, “and I just want to say, my heart goes out to COVID.” He added that this was a unique show for “SNL” and that, like everyone around him, he had been tested frequently. “I haven’t had so much stuff up my nose since I shared a dressing room with Chris Farley,” he said. Pointing out members of the “SNL” studio audience that he described as first responders, Rock said, “They’re so good, we let people die tonight so they could see a good show.” Assuming that Biden would be elected, Rock said that he should be America’s last president ever and that a new system of government should be instituted after him. “What job do you have for four years, no matter what?” Rock asked. “If you hired a cook and he was making people vomit every day, do you sit there and go, ‘Well, he’s got a four-year deal; we’ve just got to vomit for four more years’?” More sincerely, Rock concluded his monologue with a quotation from James Baldwin: “‘Not everything that is faced can be changed,’” he said, “‘but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’”

Jim Carrey plays Joe Biden in the most anticipated season premiere of 'SNL'

Joe Biden has tested negative for the Coronavirus, his primary care doctor confirmed on Friday. The Democratic presidential nominee and his wife were tested earlier in the day after news of President Donald Trump’s infection was announced.

News Alert: Joe Biden and his wife test negative for COVID-19

A new recording from US President Donald Trump's April 13 interview with journalist Bob Woodward has emerged that shows him saying he wasn't concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus.

The irony is Trump now is hospitalised with COVID-19 in the military hospital, upending the upcoming presidential election. And his Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who he used to mock for being too cautious about the virus, is now on a campaign trail.

CNN on Friday obtained a new audio recording from Woodward's April 13 interview with Trump that sheds new light on the president's mindset. While Trump admitted to Woodward the virus is a "plague" that "rips you apart," he dismissed concerns about his own health.

"You're risking getting it, of course," said Woodward. "The way you move around and have those briefings and deal with people. Are you worried about that?"

"No, I'm not. I don't know why I'm not. I'm not," the President responded.

"Why?" Woodward asked.

"I don't know," Trump said. "I'm just not."

Trump has often been criticised for his mishandling and downplaying of the pandemic. He also has contradicted or undermined the recommendations from experts in his own administration. And he has repeatedly said that the end of the virus' spread was just around the corner.

The president's rosy assessment of the public-health crisis had not diminished even in the hours leading up to announcing his positive test results early Friday morning. In prerecorded remarks for Thursday night's Al Smith charity dinner, Trump proclaimed that the "end of the pandemic is in sight."

According to a previous report by CNN, Trump told Woodward a story about a meeting of about 10 people in the Oval Office where someone in the room sneezed.

"You know, just a sneeze, the entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Biden has the proverbial last laugh.

At a rally in Michigan, he said, "This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically."

Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet (1.83 m) apart. Health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, have said masks are a crucial tool for slowing the spread of the virus.

"Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It`s about doing your part."

A new recording from US President Donald Trump's April 13 interview with journalist Bob Woodward has emerged that shows him saying he wasn't concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus.

A new recording from US President Donald Trump's April 13 interview with journalist Bob Woodward has emerged that shows him saying he wasn't concerned about contracting the novel coronavirus. The irony is Trump now is hospitalised with COVID-19 in the military hospital, upending the upcoming presidential election. And his Democratic challenger Joe Biden, who he used to mock for being too cautious about the virus, is now on a campaign trail. CNN on Friday obtained a new audio recording from Woodward's April 13 interview with Trump that sheds new light on the president's mindset. While Trump admitted to Woodward the virus is a "plague" that "rips you apart," he dismissed concerns about his own health. "You're risking getting it, of course," said Woodward. "The way you move around and have those briefings and deal with people. Are you worried about that?" "No, I'm not. I don't know why I'm not. I'm not," the President responded. "Why?" Woodward asked. "I don't know," Trump said. "I'm just not." Trump has often been criticised for his mishandling and downplaying of the pandemic. He also has contradicted or undermined the recommendations from experts in his own administration. And he has repeatedly said that the end of the virus' spread was just around the corner. The president's rosy assessment of the public-health crisis had not diminished even in the hours leading up to announcing his positive test results early Friday morning. In prerecorded remarks for Thursday night's Al Smith charity dinner, Trump proclaimed that the "end of the pandemic is in sight." According to a previous report by CNN, Trump told Woodward a story about a meeting of about 10 people in the Oval Office where someone in the room sneezed. "You know, just a sneeze, the entire room bailed out, OK? Including me, by the way," Trump said. Meanwhile, Biden has the proverbial last laugh. At a rally in Michigan, he said, "This is not a matter of politics. It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically." Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet (1.83 m) apart. Health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, have said masks are a crucial tool for slowing the spread of the virus. "Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It`s about doing your part."

Trump once said he wasn't concerned about contracting coronavirus

Joe Biden and his wife have tested negative for the coronavirus, his primary care doctor confirmed on Friday.

Joe Biden and wife tests negative for coronavirus: Shared stage with Donald Trump

In the run up to the November 3 presidential election, US President Donald Trump mocked Democratic challenger Joe Biden for months for his cautious approach to the coronavirus.

As Biden remained isolated in his Delaware home in the early months of the virus crisis, Trump called him "Sleepy Joe" and said he was "hiding" in his basement -- a charge that his supporters lapped up and repeated ad infinitum.

During Tuesday's chaotic presidential debate, Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask at his events, even when he is far away from other people.

But on Friday, it was Trump who was forced to remain in his home, quarantining after his positive diagnosis. His doctor said he was "fatigued" but in "good spirits."

Trump's diagnosis is likely to reinforce Biden's message about the president's failed response to the disease, which has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States, and undermine Trump's argument that the end of the pandemic is in sight. Polls show voters trust Biden to handle the coronavirus more than Trump.

The vice-president and his wife had also taken a coronavirus test -- whose result came out negative.

Biden then had the proverbial last laugh. He had the campaign stage of Michigan to himself a month before Election Day.

He on Friday said that Trump's coronavirus diagnosis showed the importance of taking the pandemic seriously, telling Americans that wearing masks is more important than being a "tough guy."

The remarks served as an implicit criticism of the Republican president. Trump has played down the deadliness of the virus for months, frequently eschews masks and has held huge campaign rallies with little social distancing.

At a union hall in Grand Rapids, Biden said he and his wife, Jill Biden, were praying that Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, had a swift and full recovery. He delivered the entire speech while wearing a blue medical mask, a departure from prior events where he typically took off his mask before speaking.

"This is not a matter of politics," Biden said. "It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically."

Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet (1.83 m) apart. Health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, have said masks are a crucial tool for slowing the spread of the virus.

"Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It`s about doing your part."

Michigan, which Trump narrowly won over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 but where Biden has led in most state polls, is a vital swing state in the election.

Biden leads Trump in national opinion polls, although surveys in the battleground states that will decide the contest show a closer race. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed Biden leading Trump by 5 percentage points among likely voters in Michigan.

With only 32 days to go before Election Day, Trump's campaign team announced Friday that his events would either be virtual or postponed until further notice.

Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, was to appear in Nevada on Friday. The 50-year-old, who did not attend Tuesday's debate, has so far tested negative.

"This virus is still very much active across our country, please continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing," she tweeted.

She is set to debate Vice-President Mike Pence on October 7.

The next presidential debate between Trump and Biden is scheduled for October 15, but it was not clear if that would take place.

It is, certainly, too soon to predict how Trump's diagnosis could impact the race for the White House, a tumultuous campaign already upended several times by history-making events.

(with inputs)

In the run up to the November 3 presidential election, US President Donald Trump mocked Democratic challenger Joe Biden for months for his cautious approach to the coronavirus.

In the run up to the November 3 presidential election, US President Donald Trump mocked Democratic challenger Joe Biden for months for his cautious approach to the coronavirus. As Biden remained isolated in his Delaware home in the early months of the virus crisis, Trump called him "Sleepy Joe" and said he was "hiding" in his basement -- a charge that his supporters lapped up and repeated ad infinitum. During Tuesday's chaotic presidential debate, Trump mocked Biden for wearing a mask at his events, even when he is far away from other people. But on Friday, it was Trump who was forced to remain in his home, quarantining after his positive diagnosis. His doctor said he was "fatigued" but in "good spirits." Trump's diagnosis is likely to reinforce Biden's message about the president's failed response to the disease, which has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States, and undermine Trump's argument that the end of the pandemic is in sight. Polls show voters trust Biden to handle the coronavirus more than Trump. The vice-president and his wife had also taken a coronavirus test -- whose result came out negative. Biden then had the proverbial last laugh. He had the campaign stage of Michigan to himself a month before Election Day. He on Friday said that Trump's coronavirus diagnosis showed the importance of taking the pandemic seriously, telling Americans that wearing masks is more important than being a "tough guy." The remarks served as an implicit criticism of the Republican president. Trump has played down the deadliness of the virus for months, frequently eschews masks and has held huge campaign rallies with little social distancing. At a union hall in Grand Rapids, Biden said he and his wife, Jill Biden, were praying that Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, had a swift and full recovery. He delivered the entire speech while wearing a blue medical mask, a departure from prior events where he typically took off his mask before speaking. "This is not a matter of politics," Biden said. "It's a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It's not going away automatically." Biden urged all Americans to follow scientific guidelines, including wearing masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet (1.83 m) apart. Health officials, including the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Robert Redfield, have said masks are a crucial tool for slowing the spread of the virus. "Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It`s about doing your part." Michigan, which Trump narrowly won over Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016 but where Biden has led in most state polls, is a vital swing state in the election. Biden leads Trump in national opinion polls, although surveys in the battleground states that will decide the contest show a closer race. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last month showed Biden leading Trump by 5 percentage points among likely voters in Michigan. With only 32 days to go before Election Day, Trump's campaign team announced Friday that his events would either be virtual or postponed until further notice. Biden's running mate, Senator Kamala Harris, was to appear in Nevada on Friday. The 50-year-old, who did not attend Tuesday's debate, has so far tested negative. "This virus is still very much active across our country, please continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing," she tweeted. She is set to debate Vice-President Mike Pence on October 7. The next presidential debate between Trump and Biden is scheduled for October 15, but it was not clear if that would take place. It is, certainly, too soon to predict how Trump's diagnosis could impact the race for the White House, a tumultuous campaign already upended several times by history-making events. (with inputs)

Biden, once mocked by Trump, now has the proverbial last laugh

Just two short days before Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, several of my New York Times colleagues published a story about the early days of the pandemic, and the strong global public health consensus at the time that open borders and free movement of peoples should not be suspended, even in the face of a swiftly spreading virus.

“The policy of unobstructed travel was never based on hard science,” the story notes. “It was a political decision, recast as health advice,” that for a public-health community committed to cosmopolitan ideals had become “an article of faith.”

The story was a reminder of a point I’ve tried to make in these pages before: For all of our president’s conspicuous failures in combating the virus that he is now battling — God willing, successfully — himself, it’s not at all obvious that a different president, one who just listened to the science&nbsp;and followed the experts, would have taken the strong early steps that might have actually suppressed the virus and prevented it from becoming endemic on our shores. By the time the experts had caught up to the realities of COVID-19, by the time they were ready to endorse the travel restrictions that their faith catechized against and the mask-wearing that they initially dismissed, a certain scale of disaster was probably already guaranteed.

Many people don’t like this argument because it’s seen as a way of letting Trump off the hook. But there’s another way of looking at it, which is that while Trump’s early failures weren’t necessarily worse than our hypothetical “just listen to the experts” president, they were arguably more culpable and tragic — precisely because Trump himself was not&nbsp;a believer in what one expert quoted in my colleagues’ story calls “the religion of global health.”

Instead, he had a worldview that the cosmopolitan community considered archaic and dangerous — a worldview that emphasized national borders, played up foreign threats and treated travel bans and immigration restrictions as essential tools of state. He also had certain personal tendencies, like his famous germaphobia, that would presumably have made him favorable to masking and social distancing at a time when the expert of experts, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was still dismissing mask wearing and telling healthy Americans that it was safe to take a cruise.

In other words, Trump, much more than a typical president, was ideologically and personally well-positioned to get out ahead of the experts, to break early with their church-of-cosmopolitanism assumptions and to set an example of extreme caution long before that became the official wisdom — even to “own the libs,” if you will, by taking steps that would have been denounced as authoritarianism in late February and then recognized as wisdom by late March.

He did take one step in that direction, imposing the travel ban on China that he now boasts about, at a time when the church of public health considered it a useless act of xenophobia. But the restrictions he imposed weren’t particularly comprehensive, and from then on he was late to every other opportunity where early or draconian action might have made a difference — heeding the conservatives who minimized the virus rather than the right-wing faction (including figures like Peter Navarro in his own White House) that sounded the alarm early and choosing to make himself the face, quite literally, of a more insouciant approach.

In other words, given a series of crucial choices — whether to heed his nationalist and protectionist impulses or his “don’t spook the stock market” biases, whether to listen to his germaphobia or his apparent fear of looking unmanly in a mask — he consistently chose wrongly when he could have chosen wisely. He went by his own choices&nbsp;from being a president who had an unique historical opportunity to vindicate his professed worldview to a president who is now infected with the very virus that is dooming his reelection bid.

One of the tics of Twitter in this strange and deadly year is a tendency to anthropomorphize the year itself (“Oh, 2020, what else do you have in store for us?”) or to make jokes about the TV writer’s room that’s supposedly responsible for our series of unfortunate events.

Many of the people making those jokes don’t believe that history really has an Author. But I do. And the aspects of our circumstances that seem ridiculously scripted to the atheist are, for religious believers, a reason to meditate on what is being revealed, how we’re being tested and what lessons and examples we can draw from watching tragedies unfold.

Our president does not, to put it mildly, resemble the tragic heroes familiar from Aeschylus or Shakespeare. But he has a little more in common with some of the flawed, arrogant, appetitive figures from the Hebrew Bible — figures who are given opportunities to do something important in spite of their flaws, who are placed at crucial turning points in history notwithstanding their weaknesses and sins and who have the capacity to achieve things that amaze the wise and powerful.

In Trump’s arc in 2020, it’s possible to see a more tragic version of these kind of biblical narratives, in which Providence grants a flawed old sinner a unique chance at heroism, even greatness — and he chooses badly, and lets it pass him by.

The president’s coronavirus diagnosis bends that tragic arc a little further. The idea that an illness and speedy recovery might help him win reelection on a wave of sympathy seems — well, let’s just call it unlikely. Rather, his illness just seems to emphasize that we’re inside the falling action of the play, the working out of choices and themes that were established months ago.

You can’t pray to a writer’s room, but you can pray to God. And so we should pray for the president’s swift recovery, that all those infected around him recover soon as well, and that the falling action of 2020’s drama would spare as many lives as possible.

But to pray is also — inherently — to behave as though life isn’t just one accident after another, as though narrative lines in history actually exist, as though our choices are woven into patterns and not just left to unspool randomly. And the president’s affliction, in this sense, is woven intimately into the larger story of 2020 and his administration’s rendezvous with pestilence — a story whose might-have-beens could have redeemed his vices, but whose realities have sealed his presidency’s transformation from a dark farce into a tragedy.

Just two short days before Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, several of my New York Times colleagues published a story about the early days of the pandemic, and the strong global public health consensus at the time that open borders and free movement of peoples should not be suspended, even in the face of a swiftly spreading virus.

Just two short days before Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus, several of my New York Times colleagues published a story about the early days of the pandemic, and the strong global public health consensus at the time that open borders and free movement of peoples should not be suspended, even in the face of a swiftly spreading virus. “The policy of unobstructed travel was never based on hard science,” the story notes. “It was a political decision, recast as health advice,” that for a public-health community committed to cosmopolitan ideals had become “an article of faith.” The story was a reminder of a point I’ve tried to make in these pages before: For all of our president’s conspicuous failures in combating the virus that he is now battling — God willing, successfully — himself, it’s not at all obvious that a different president, one who just listened to the science and followed the experts, would have taken the strong early steps that might have actually suppressed the virus and prevented it from becoming endemic on our shores. By the time the experts had caught up to the realities of COVID-19, by the time they were ready to endorse the travel restrictions that their faith catechized against and the mask-wearing that they initially dismissed, a certain scale of disaster was probably already guaranteed. Many people don’t like this argument because it’s seen as a way of letting Trump off the hook. But there’s another way of looking at it, which is that while Trump’s early failures weren’t necessarily worse than our hypothetical “just listen to the experts” president, they were arguably more culpable and tragic — precisely because Trump himself was not a believer in what one expert quoted in my colleagues’ story calls “the religion of global health.” Instead, he had a worldview that the cosmopolitan community considered archaic and dangerous — a worldview that emphasized national borders, played up foreign threats and treated travel bans and immigration restrictions as essential tools of state. He also had certain personal tendencies, like his famous germaphobia, that would presumably have made him favorable to masking and social distancing at a time when the expert of experts, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was still dismissing mask wearing and telling healthy Americans that it was safe to take a cruise. In other words, Trump, much more than a typical president, was ideologically and personally well-positioned to get out ahead of the experts, to break early with their church-of-cosmopolitanism assumptions and to set an example of extreme caution long before that became the official wisdom — even to “own the libs,” if you will, by taking steps that would have been denounced as authoritarianism in late February and then recognized as wisdom by late March. He did take one step in that direction, imposing the travel ban on China that he now boasts about, at a time when the church of public health considered it a useless act of xenophobia. But the restrictions he imposed weren’t particularly comprehensive, and from then on he was late to every other opportunity where early or draconian action might have made a difference — heeding the conservatives who minimized the virus rather than the right-wing faction (including figures like Peter Navarro in his own White House) that sounded the alarm early and choosing to make himself the face, quite literally, of a more insouciant approach. In other words, given a series of crucial choices — whether to heed his nationalist and protectionist impulses or his “don’t spook the stock market” biases, whether to listen to his germaphobia or his apparent fear of looking unmanly in a mask — he consistently chose wrongly when he could have chosen wisely. He went by his own choices from being a president who had an unique historical opportunity to vindicate his professed worldview to a president who is now infected with the very virus that is dooming his reelection bid. One of the tics of Twitter in this strange and deadly year is a tendency to anthropomorphize the year itself (“Oh, 2020, what else do you have in store for us?”) or to make jokes about the TV writer’s room that’s supposedly responsible for our series of unfortunate events. Many of the people making those jokes don’t believe that history really has an Author. But I do. And the aspects of our circumstances that seem ridiculously scripted to the atheist are, for religious believers, a reason to meditate on what is being revealed, how we’re being tested and what lessons and examples we can draw from watching tragedies unfold. Our president does not, to put it mildly, resemble the tragic heroes familiar from Aeschylus or Shakespeare. But he has a little more in common with some of the flawed, arrogant, appetitive figures from the Hebrew Bible — figures who are given opportunities to do something important in spite of their flaws, who are placed at crucial turning points in history notwithstanding their weaknesses and sins and who have the capacity to achieve things that amaze the wise and powerful. In Trump’s arc in 2020, it’s possible to see a more tragic version of these kind of biblical narratives, in which Providence grants a flawed old sinner a unique chance at heroism, even greatness — and he chooses badly, and lets it pass him by. The president’s coronavirus diagnosis bends that tragic arc a little further. The idea that an illness and speedy recovery might help him win reelection on a wave of sympathy seems — well, let’s just call it unlikely. Rather, his illness just seems to emphasize that we’re inside the falling action of the play, the working out of choices and themes that were established months ago. You can’t pray to a writer’s room, but you can pray to God. And so we should pray for the president’s swift recovery, that all those infected around him recover soon as well, and that the falling action of 2020’s drama would spare as many lives as possible. But to pray is also — inherently — to behave as though life isn’t just one accident after another, as though narrative lines in history actually exist, as though our choices are woven into patterns and not just left to unspool randomly. And the president’s affliction, in this sense, is woven intimately into the larger story of 2020 and his administration’s rendezvous with pestilence — a story whose might-have-beens could have redeemed his vices, but whose realities have sealed his presidency’s transformation from a dark farce into a tragedy.

The tragedy of Donald Trump

After downplaying risks, mocking masks & holding huge rallies, Donald Trump &Melania Trump, test positive for COVID-19. With just days to election, this news has pushed the politics & govt into a historic state of flux. Joe Biden, Kamala Harris & Vice President Mike Pence test negative. What next?

US Election 2020: Trump COVID-19 positive: What next?

The Trump campaign declares war on Commission of Presidential Debates over modification of rules for upcoming Presidential Debate 2020. Donald Trump declares himself winner of 1st debate. White House backs Trump over different moderator & candidate. Will the President adhere to new rules?

US Election 2020: The ultra-aggressive cross talk fallout

Is Donald Trump's bad temper benefiting Joe Biden? After first round of chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The US debate organizers are considering to change the rules to avoid any unruly behavior. Watch report.

US Election 2020: Is Trump's bad temper benefiting Biden?

The first presidential debate between President Donald Trump & Democrat nominee Joe Biden was more of a yelling match than a structured exchange of ideas. Watch the report to know more.

US Election 2020: First debate of the most polarised election; WION-VOA Co-Production

This year the famous and traditional&nbsp;Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner, an annual Catholic event that is known for giving the opponents a chance to keep politics aside for a night.&nbsp;

The dinner, which is arranged by the Catholic Church in New York, usually includes a guest list of the big names from the country and aims to raise money for the charity while having a hearty laugh.

However, this year's dinner shifted online due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the air was a little grim due to the ongoing feud between the two candidates.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-says-will-not-allow-debate-rules-to-change-331845">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: Trump says will not 'allow' debate rules to change</a>

The US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his Democratic rival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;addressed the dinner virtually and mainly stuck to talking about politics, rather than sharing anecdotes like in the past.

Talking about how "these are difficult times",&nbsp;Biden mainly talked about the grim situation in the country caused by the novel coronavirus and blamed&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;for the loss of&nbsp;more than 200,000 Americans.

"I know there is disappointment that the dinner tonight couldn't continue as normal, for us to sit together and put politics aside for the night," Biden said.

However,&nbsp;Trump, who is infamous for downplaying coronavirus and claiming — then denying — that the pandemic will end soon, did just the same yet again and said that end of the pandemic "is in sight".&nbsp;

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President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> thanks New Yorkers at the Al Smith Dinner for the "grit, tenacity, courage, and selflessness" needed to combat the Coronavirus <a href="https://t.co/L40V48Po8C">pic.twitter.com/L40V48Po8C</a>
— Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1311812722586247171?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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He also reminded the attendees that he once offered monetary help to the Catholic schools. "It was my great honor to help the Catholic church with its schools. They needed hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide and I got it for 'em, nobody else, I got it for 'em. I hope you remember that on November 3rd," he said.

To lighten up the mood of the otherwise grim dinner,&nbsp;Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan joked about a smooth transition of the&nbsp;microphone from Biden to Trump. "See Mr. President, that wasn't so hard was it?," he laughed.

This year the famous and traditional Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner, an annual Catholic event that is known for giving the opponents a chance to keep politics aside for a night.

This year the famous and traditional Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner, an annual Catholic event that is known for giving the opponents a chance to keep politics aside for a night. The dinner, which is arranged by the Catholic Church in New York, usually includes a guest list of the big names from the country and aims to raise money for the charity while having a hearty laugh. However, this year's dinner shifted online due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the air was a little grim due to the ongoing feud between the two candidates. Also read| US election 2020: Trump says will not 'allow' debate rules to change The US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden addressed the dinner virtually and mainly stuck to talking about politics, rather than sharing anecdotes like in the past. Talking about how "these are difficult times", Biden mainly talked about the grim situation in the country caused by the novel coronavirus and blamed Trump for the loss of more than 200,000 Americans. "I know there is disappointment that the dinner tonight couldn't continue as normal, for us to sit together and put politics aside for the night," Biden said. However, Trump, who is infamous for downplaying coronavirus and claiming — then denying — that the pandemic will end soon, did just the same yet again and said that end of the pandemic "is in sight". President @realDonaldTrump thanks New Yorkers at the Al Smith Dinner for the "grit, tenacity, courage, and selflessness" needed to combat the Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/L40V48Po8C — Team Trump (Text VOTE to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 1, 2020 × He also reminded the attendees that he once offered monetary help to the Catholic schools. "It was my great honor to help the Catholic church with its schools. They needed hundreds of millions of dollars nationwide and I got it for 'em, nobody else, I got it for 'em. I hope you remember that on November 3rd," he said. To lighten up the mood of the otherwise grim dinner, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan joked about a smooth transition of the microphone from Biden to Trump. "See Mr. President, that wasn't so hard was it?," he laughed.

Donald Trump claims 'end of pandemic in sight' at Al Smith Dinner before US election 2020

The US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his Democratic rival <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;participated in the first presidential debate on September 29 with Chris Wallace as the moderator.

However, the debate did not go as planned with&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;constantly interrupting&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;while&nbsp;Chris Wallace&nbsp;tried to take control of the situation. Additionally,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;resorted to name-calling and ask the President to "shut up".

After the debate, a long debate was sparked worldwide on whether or not this could have been handled in a better way.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-debate-commission-promises-orderly-debate-next-time-331621">Also read|&nbsp;US elections 2020: Debate Commission promises 'orderly' debate next time</a>

Considering the same, the Debate Commission announced that would be making changed for the next debate. "Last night's debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues," the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement.

However,&nbsp;Trump, who has declared himself to be a winner, took to Twitter to oppose any changes and said he would not 'allow' any such thing.&nbsp;

"Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time?," he tweeted.

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Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311731462589292544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Since the end of the debate,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;has been chest-beating claiming the won and using unidentified polls to prove his point. However, majority of the US media has disagreed with him and declared&nbsp;Biden to be the frontrunner — in debate and election polls.

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The White House&nbsp;spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, too, has also claimed that the only changes that will be 'allowed' by the President for the next debate will be&nbsp;"changing the moderator and a change in the Democratic nominee."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderator-of-us-elections-debate-snaps-at-trump-for-speaking-out-of-time-331319">Also read|&nbsp;Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time</a>

"He doesn't want rules that cover for a certain candidate's inability to perform well."

Meanwhile, Wallace has also expressed his frustration about the debate. Calling it a probable equivalent of a "beautiful, delicious cake", he said "I felt like I had gotten together all of the ingredients. Then, frankly, the president put his foot in it. And that was frustrating."

Biden&nbsp;proposed taking questions from the audience instead.&nbsp;

"We have an opportunity to respond to the questions from the people in the audience," he told reporters.

"I think it's appropriate that when a person, a constituent, some considering how they’re going to vote this year, when they ask a question, of whomever they ask that question, gets an opportunity to answer it fully."

The second presidential debate, which will be in a town hall format with audience members putting questions, is scheduled for October 15 in Miami. The third is set for October 22 in Nashville.

The US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden participated in the first presidential debate on September 29 with Chris Wallace as the moderator.

The US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden participated in the first presidential debate on September 29 with Chris Wallace as the moderator. However, the debate did not go as planned with Donald Trump constantly interrupting Biden while Chris Wallace tried to take control of the situation. Additionally, Biden resorted to name-calling and ask the President to "shut up". After the debate, a long debate was sparked worldwide on whether or not this could have been handled in a better way. Also read| US elections 2020: Debate Commission promises 'orderly' debate next time Considering the same, the Debate Commission announced that would be making changed for the next debate. "Last night's debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues," the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement. However, Trump, who has declared himself to be a winner, took to Twitter to oppose any changes and said he would not 'allow' any such thing. "Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time?," he tweeted. Why would I allow the Debate Commission to change the rules for the second and third Debates when I easily won last time? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 1, 2020 × Since the end of the debate, Trump has been chest-beating claiming the won and using unidentified polls to prove his point. However, majority of the US media has disagreed with him and declared Biden to be the frontrunner — in debate and election polls. The White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, too, has also claimed that the only changes that will be 'allowed' by the President for the next debate will be "changing the moderator and a change in the Democratic nominee." Also read| Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time "He doesn't want rules that cover for a certain candidate's inability to perform well." Meanwhile, Wallace has also expressed his frustration about the debate. Calling it a probable equivalent of a "beautiful, delicious cake", he said "I felt like I had gotten together all of the ingredients. Then, frankly, the president put his foot in it. And that was frustrating." Biden proposed taking questions from the audience instead. "We have an opportunity to respond to the questions from the people in the audience," he told reporters. "I think it's appropriate that when a person, a constituent, some considering how they’re going to vote this year, when they ask a question, of whomever they ask that question, gets an opportunity to answer it fully." The second presidential debate, which will be in a town hall format with audience members putting questions, is scheduled for October 15 in Miami. The third is set for October 22 in Nashville.

US election 2020: Trump says will not 'allow' debate rules to change

Jim Carrey looks strikingly like Democrat candidate Joe Biden in a new teaser of 'Saturday Night Live'. The Hollywood star appears in a short clip alongside Maya Rudolph who dresses up as Senator Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate in the upcoming US presidential elections. 
 
The episode featuring the two will air on October 3 and the official twitter handle of of SNL shared a teaser ahead of the episode.

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Ladies and gentlemen… 
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SNLPremiere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SNLPremiere</a> <a href="https://t.co/khYgAvXKpw">pic.twitter.com/khYgAvXKpw</a>
— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) <a href="https://twitter.com/nbcsnl/status/1311807261489201152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This is the first time that Carrey will play Biden and feature in the popular comedy show. Rudolph appeared as Senator Harris first in 2019 in SNL. Rudolph's act had drawn praise from all quarters including from the Senator herself. 
Biden and Trump are contesting for the top seat. US goes to election on November 3.

Jim Carrey looks strikingly like Democrat candidate Joe Biden in a new teaser of 'Saturday Night Live'. The Hollywood star appears in a short clip alongside Maya Rudolph who dresses up as Senator Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate in the upcoming US presidential elections.

Jim Carrey looks strikingly like Democrat candidate Joe Biden in a new teaser of 'Saturday Night Live'. The Hollywood star appears in a short clip alongside Maya Rudolph who dresses up as Senator Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate in the upcoming US presidential elections. The episode featuring the two will air on October 3 and the official twitter handle of of SNL shared a teaser ahead of the episode. Ladies and gentlemen… Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. #SNLPremiere pic.twitter.com/khYgAvXKpw — Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) October 1, 2020 × This is the first time that Carrey will play Biden and feature in the popular comedy show. Rudolph appeared as Senator Harris first in 2019 in SNL. Rudolph's act had drawn praise from all quarters including from the Senator herself. Biden and Trump are contesting for the top seat. US goes to election on November 3.

Presenting Jim Carrey's first look as Joe Biden in 'Saturday Night Live'

United States President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will campaign on Wednesday in three US states that will play a key role in the November election.

However, the morning after their first presidential debate was marked by interruptions and recriminations, the two leaders took to Twitter for some more chaos. They traded barbs, in a show of their own vulnerabilities -- that can be in the November 3 presidential election.

And why not? Trump deflected an opportunity to condemn white supremacists and again refused to say if he would accept the election results in Tuesday night's first 2020 debate, two moments that could give Biden fresh ammunition.

And Biden did not miss the chance to highlight this.

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There’s no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night. <a href="https://t.co/Q3VZTW1vUV">pic.twitter.com/Q3VZTW1vUV</a>
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1311268302950260737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The chaotic part of the Twitter tirade was a video clip from the debate -- superimposed by the sound of a crying baby. Anybody can guess the sound was superimposed on Trump's voice.

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Had enough? <a href="https://t.co/4W5OSoRzXI">pic.twitter.com/4W5OSoRzXI</a>
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1311278369296719872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump presented his own verdict of the debate. He said, "Nobody wants Sleepy Joe as a leader, including the Radical Left (which he lost last night!). He disrespected Bernie, effectively calling him a loser!"

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Nobody wants Sleepy Joe as a leader, including the Radical Left (which he lost last night!). He disrespected Bernie, effectively calling him a loser!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311297684540620801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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And continued, "Biden wants to Pack the Supreme Court, thereby ruining it. Also, he wants no fracking, killing our Energy business, and JOBS. Second Amendment is DEAD if Biden gets in! Is that what you want from a leader? He will destroy our Country! VOTE NOW USA."

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Biden wants to Pack the Supreme Court, thereby ruining it. Also, he wants no fracking, killing our Energy business, and JOBS. Second Amendment is DEAD if Biden gets in! Is that what you want from a leader? He will destroy our Country! VOTE NOW USA.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311308087593242624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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And continued some more: "Biden REFUSED to use the term, LAW &amp; ORDER! There go the Suburbs."

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Biden REFUSED to use the term, LAW &amp; ORDER! There go the Suburbs.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1311310383781679107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Not only this,&nbsp;Biden branded Trump's debate performance a "national embarrassment" for not addressing concerns of everyday Americans and failing to clearly denounce white supremacist groups.

"Maybe I should not say this, but the president of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was a national embarrassment," Biden said during a stop in Alliance, Ohio as part of a train tour through swing state Ohio and neighboring battleground Pennsylvania.

During the showdown, Trump declined to make a clear and forceful denunciation of white supremacist groups or the far-right, male-only Proud Boys, instead giving a shout-out to the militia group by saying they should "stand back and stand by," and that the real problem is "far-left" extremists.

In Alliance, Biden assailed the president's remarks.

"My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: cease and desist," Biden said.&nbsp;

"That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans."

The former vice president, appearing invigorated after what could be described as an assertive debate performance where he stood his ground, criticized Trump for failing to speak directly to the American people about their plight during the Covid-19 crisis.

"Does your president have any idea or understand what you're going through? And if he does, does he care about you?" Biden asked.

"Or does he just ignore you, look down on you, lie to you?"

Trump's debate performance was "all about him," Biden added.&nbsp;

"He didn't speak to you or your concerns for the American people even once."

INVESTORS IN FEAR

The chaotic encounter also rattled investors by fuelling fears of a contested election result that could lead to a messy transfer of power if Trump refuses to accept a loss, with US stock futures down in pre-market trading.

The first of three televised matchups represented one of Trump's few remaining chances to change the trajectory of a race that most national opinion polls show him losing, as the majority of Americans disapprove of the Republican president's handling of both the coronavirus pandemic and protests over racial injustice.

Already more than 1.3 million voters in 15 states have cast early ballots ahead of the November 3 Election Day, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida.

Trump, 74, will spend the day in Minnesota – one of the few states his campaign is targeting that voted Democratic in 2016 – with a fundraiser in the afternoon before a rally in Duluth.

Biden, 77, and his wife, Jill, will embark on an all-day train tour through a half-dozen cities in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, including counties that Trump won four years ago on the strength of working-class white voters.

Tuesday's debate, marked by Trump's constant interjections and Biden's angry rejoinders, however, appeared unlikely to significantly alter the campaign's dynamics.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-biden-calls-trump-a-clown-as-candidates-spar-in-first-presidential-debate-331321">Also read |&nbsp;Biden calls Trump a 'clown' as candidates spar in first presidential debate</a>

Biden has held a modest but steady lead in national voter surveys for months amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, although polls in the battleground states show a closer contest.

OF WHITE SUPREMACISTS

During a segment on race relations, debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump whether he would denounce white supremacists and call on them not to add to the violence that has occurred amid protests in some US cities.

Rather than offer a forceful rebuke, Trump called on a group of right-wing activists known as the Proud Boys, to "stand back and stand by," raising concerns about what he would urge them to do. He also attacked left-wing agitators known as antifa, drawing criticism from some social justice leaders.

Trump also declined to say he would accept the election results, repeating his unfounded assertion that widespread voting by mail would lead to massive fraud. Experts have said such fraud is extremely rare in the United States.

United States President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will campaign on Wednesday in three US states that will play a key role in the November election.

United States President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden will campaign on Wednesday in three US states that will play a key role in the November election. However, the morning after their first presidential debate was marked by interruptions and recriminations, the two leaders took to Twitter for some more chaos. They traded barbs, in a show of their own vulnerabilities -- that can be in the November 3 presidential election. And why not? Trump deflected an opportunity to condemn white supremacists and again refused to say if he would accept the election results in Tuesday night's first 2020 debate, two moments that could give Biden fresh ammunition. And Biden did not miss the chance to highlight this. There’s no other way to put it: the President of the United States refused to disavow white supremacists on the debate stage last night. pic.twitter.com/Q3VZTW1vUV — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020 × The chaotic part of the Twitter tirade was a video clip from the debate -- superimposed by the sound of a crying baby. Anybody can guess the sound was superimposed on Trump's voice. Had enough? pic.twitter.com/4W5OSoRzXI — Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) September 30, 2020 × Trump presented his own verdict of the debate. He said, "Nobody wants Sleepy Joe as a leader, including the Radical Left (which he lost last night!). He disrespected Bernie, effectively calling him a loser!" Nobody wants Sleepy Joe as a leader, including the Radical Left (which he lost last night!). He disrespected Bernie, effectively calling him a loser! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020 × And continued, "Biden wants to Pack the Supreme Court, thereby ruining it. Also, he wants no fracking, killing our Energy business, and JOBS. Second Amendment is DEAD if Biden gets in! Is that what you want from a leader? He will destroy our Country! VOTE NOW USA." Biden wants to Pack the Supreme Court, thereby ruining it. Also, he wants no fracking, killing our Energy business, and JOBS. Second Amendment is DEAD if Biden gets in! Is that what you want from a leader? He will destroy our Country! VOTE NOW USA. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020 × And continued some more: "Biden REFUSED to use the term, LAW & ORDER! There go the Suburbs." Biden REFUSED to use the term, LAW & ORDER! There go the Suburbs. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2020 × Not only this, Biden branded Trump's debate performance a "national embarrassment" for not addressing concerns of everyday Americans and failing to clearly denounce white supremacist groups. "Maybe I should not say this, but the president of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was a national embarrassment," Biden said during a stop in Alliance, Ohio as part of a train tour through swing state Ohio and neighboring battleground Pennsylvania. During the showdown, Trump declined to make a clear and forceful denunciation of white supremacist groups or the far-right, male-only Proud Boys, instead giving a shout-out to the militia group by saying they should "stand back and stand by," and that the real problem is "far-left" extremists. In Alliance, Biden assailed the president's remarks. "My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: cease and desist," Biden said. "That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans." The former vice president, appearing invigorated after what could be described as an assertive debate performance where he stood his ground, criticized Trump for failing to speak directly to the American people about their plight during the Covid-19 crisis. "Does your president have any idea or understand what you're going through? And if he does, does he care about you?" Biden asked. "Or does he just ignore you, look down on you, lie to you?" Trump's debate performance was "all about him," Biden added. "He didn't speak to you or your concerns for the American people even once." INVESTORS IN FEAR The chaotic encounter also rattled investors by fuelling fears of a contested election result that could lead to a messy transfer of power if Trump refuses to accept a loss, with US stock futures down in pre-market trading. The first of three televised matchups represented one of Trump's few remaining chances to change the trajectory of a race that most national opinion polls show him losing, as the majority of Americans disapprove of the Republican president's handling of both the coronavirus pandemic and protests over racial injustice. Already more than 1.3 million voters in 15 states have cast early ballots ahead of the November 3 Election Day, according to the US Elections Project at the University of Florida. Trump, 74, will spend the day in Minnesota – one of the few states his campaign is targeting that voted Democratic in 2016 – with a fundraiser in the afternoon before a rally in Duluth. Biden, 77, and his wife, Jill, will embark on an all-day train tour through a half-dozen cities in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, including counties that Trump won four years ago on the strength of working-class white voters. Tuesday's debate, marked by Trump's constant interjections and Biden's angry rejoinders, however, appeared unlikely to significantly alter the campaign's dynamics. Also read | Biden calls Trump a 'clown' as candidates spar in first presidential debate Biden has held a modest but steady lead in national voter surveys for months amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, although polls in the battleground states show a closer contest. OF WHITE SUPREMACISTS During a segment on race relations, debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump whether he would denounce white supremacists and call on them not to add to the violence that has occurred amid protests in some US cities. Rather than offer a forceful rebuke, Trump called on a group of right-wing activists known as the Proud Boys, to "stand back and stand by," raising concerns about what he would urge them to do. He also attacked left-wing agitators known as antifa, drawing criticism from some social justice leaders. Trump also declined to say he would accept the election results, repeating his unfounded assertion that widespread voting by mail would lead to massive fraud. Experts have said such fraud is extremely rare in the United States.

After an unruly first debate, Trump and Biden take to campaign trail and more chaos

The organsiers of the US presidential debate were left speechless after the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwihr5ry7o_sAhWawzgGHb0eDLAQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AfO9799mZXkwQdiR-a7m_">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and his&nbsp;Democratic rival <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZ9JHp7o_sAhW9yjgGHfB6D5oQFjABegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uWmb1SVt292OTp_JacPPr">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;engaged in a 'chaotic' debate.

First presidential debate of the US elections 2020 were nothing less than a chaos of three men talking at the same time, of which one was trying to take his turn and the moderator was simply asking to establish order. This was one of rare times — probably the first — when the moderator had to ask a candidate that their campaign manager had agreed to rules which were being flouted by the candidate.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderator-of-us-elections-debate-snaps-at-trump-for-speaking-out-of-time-331319">Also read:Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time</a>

The debate's chaos and lack of order were highly criticised. While the Democrats blamed Trump&nbsp;for constant interruptions, and the Republicans defended the President by claiming it to be Biden's&nbsp;fault for saying 'absurd' statements, the Debate Commission has decided to put it behind them and prepare for the next debate.

Last night's debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues," the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement.

Without revealing the details, the commission is now looking for additional measures "to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates."

The chaos was even identified by the Fox News journalist and debate's moderator Chris Wallace as he agreed that the debate had gone off the rails at one point. "I never dreamt that it would go off the tracks the way it did," he told local media.

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"I guess I didn't realize — and there was no way you could, hindsight being 20/20 — that this was going to be the president's strategy, not just for the beginning of the debate but the entire debate," Wallace said.

A lot of people on social media asked the organisers to allow the moderator to mute the candidate who is speaking out of turn. However, Wallace put that thought to rest by reminding everyone that since the two candidates were standing at a very less distance,&nbsp;Joe Biden&nbsp;would have easily heard Trump even without a mic.

"I’m a pro. I’ve never been through anything like this," Wallace added, recalling the debate.

The organsiers of the US presidential debate were left speechless after the US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden engaged in a 'chaotic' debate.

The organsiers of the US presidential debate were left speechless after the US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden engaged in a 'chaotic' debate. First presidential debate of the US elections 2020 were nothing less than a chaos of three men talking at the same time, of which one was trying to take his turn and the moderator was simply asking to establish order. This was one of rare times — probably the first — when the moderator had to ask a candidate that their campaign manager had agreed to rules which were being flouted by the candidate. Also read:Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time The debate's chaos and lack of order were highly criticised. While the Democrats blamed Trump for constant interruptions, and the Republicans defended the President by claiming it to be Biden's fault for saying 'absurd' statements, the Debate Commission has decided to put it behind them and prepare for the next debate. Last night's debate made clear that additional structure should be added to the format of the remaining debates to ensure a more orderly discussion of the issues," the Commission on Presidential Debates said in a statement. Without revealing the details, the commission is now looking for additional measures "to ensure that additional tools to maintain order are in place for the remaining debates." The chaos was even identified by the Fox News journalist and debate's moderator Chris Wallace as he agreed that the debate had gone off the rails at one point. "I never dreamt that it would go off the tracks the way it did," he told local media. × "I guess I didn't realize — and there was no way you could, hindsight being 20/20 — that this was going to be the president's strategy, not just for the beginning of the debate but the entire debate," Wallace said. A lot of people on social media asked the organisers to allow the moderator to mute the candidate who is speaking out of turn. However, Wallace put that thought to rest by reminding everyone that since the two candidates were standing at a very less distance, Joe Biden would have easily heard Trump even without a mic. "I’m a pro. I’ve never been through anything like this," Wallace added, recalling the debate.

US elections 2020: Debate Commission promises 'orderly' debate next time

Elections are synonymous with controversies. A new debate has started over absentee ballots in US Elections 2020. US President Donald Trump has been complaining about absentee ballots which essentially are votes being sent via post. Now, he suddenly has acquired fresh firepower to lash out at the process.

Nearly 100 thousand voters in New York have got defective absentee ballots.

What went wrong?

Apparently, the envelope of the ballot had the wrong voter information. These envelopes are supposed to be used by voters to send in their votes.

The problem is mostly limited to Brooklyn. The authorities say that voters will receive new ballots.

Trump did not waste any time to turn this lapse into a big issue. He fired five tweets saying that there would be widespread fraud in this election since millions of voters have choice to send their votes by mail.

Keeping in view the coronavirus pandemic in the US, election authorities have introduced mail-in voting. So voters have two options. They can choose to get their ballot at home and mail-in their votes., or they can drop it at a dedicated election dropbox.

Trump claims that entire process is vulnerable to frauds.

Postal and election authorities don't agree on this.

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So what exactly happened in New York? According to reports, there wasn't any error in ballots themselves. The problem was there in the envelopes. The envelopes had wrong names and addresses.

And this does cast doubt over New York's ability to conduct an election during a pandemic.

So the President does not agree with the process, and he refuses to commit to a peaceful transition if he loses.

"I hope it's going to be a fair election. If it's a fair election, I am 100 percent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that," said Trump during first presidential debate.

Questions are being raised against the New York City Board of Elections, the authority that is managing the election in New York. The board is run by both Democrats and Republicans and it has a patchy track record.

Back in June, the primaries in New York ran into problems too.

It doesn't appear that people are struggling to vote in rest of America. Early voting has already begun.

As per reports, more than one million Americans have already cast their vote. Amd this was well before the first debate.&nbsp;

About 88 thousand ballots came from the most competitive states. Like Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota and Georgia.

In 36 states, more than 30 million voters have requested for a ballot. That is not a lot considering there were 200 million eligible voters in America.

The election day is just 33 days away. 
&nbsp;

Elections are synonymous with controversies. A new debate has started over absentee ballots in US Elections 2020. US President Donald Trump has been complaining about absentee ballots which essentially are votes being sent via post.

Elections are synonymous with controversies. A new debate has started over absentee ballots in US Elections 2020. US President Donald Trump has been complaining about absentee ballots which essentially are votes being sent via post. Now, he suddenly has acquired fresh firepower to lash out at the process. Nearly 100 thousand voters in New York have got defective absentee ballots. What went wrong? Apparently, the envelope of the ballot had the wrong voter information. These envelopes are supposed to be used by voters to send in their votes. The problem is mostly limited to Brooklyn. The authorities say that voters will receive new ballots. Trump did not waste any time to turn this lapse into a big issue. He fired five tweets saying that there would be widespread fraud in this election since millions of voters have choice to send their votes by mail. Keeping in view the coronavirus pandemic in the US, election authorities have introduced mail-in voting. So voters have two options. They can choose to get their ballot at home and mail-in their votes., or they can drop it at a dedicated election dropbox. Trump claims that entire process is vulnerable to frauds. Postal and election authorities don't agree on this. × So what exactly happened in New York? According to reports, there wasn't any error in ballots themselves. The problem was there in the envelopes. The envelopes had wrong names and addresses. And this does cast doubt over New York's ability to conduct an election during a pandemic. So the President does not agree with the process, and he refuses to commit to a peaceful transition if he loses. "I hope it's going to be a fair election. If it's a fair election, I am 100 percent on board. But if I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can't go along with that," said Trump during first presidential debate. Questions are being raised against the New York City Board of Elections, the authority that is managing the election in New York. The board is run by both Democrats and Republicans and it has a patchy track record. Back in June, the primaries in New York ran into problems too. It doesn't appear that people are struggling to vote in rest of America. Early voting has already begun. As per reports, more than one million Americans have already cast their vote. Amd this was well before the first debate. About 88 thousand ballots came from the most competitive states. Like Wisconsin, North Carolina, Minnesota and Georgia. In 36 states, more than 30 million voters have requested for a ballot. That is not a lot considering there were 200 million eligible voters in America. The election day is just 33 days away.

US Elections 2020: Issue of absentee ballots kicks up a storm

On Wednesday, during the first national presidential debate, the US President &nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwihr5ry7o_sAhWawzgGHb0eDLAQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AfO9799mZXkwQdiR-a7m_">Donald Trump</a> not only missed an opportunity to condemn the white supremacist groups, but rather told them to "stand by".

This comment was immediately taken to the social media and while some criticised the President sending out message to the group, some — mainly from the group itself — rejoiced on being mentioned in the presidential debate and took it as a message from Trump.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-misses-opportunity-to-condemn-white-supremacists-group-proud-boys-331376">Also read:&nbsp;Trump misses opportunity to condemn white supremacists group Proud Boys</a>

Afetr the comments, the only African-American Republican in the US Senate,&nbsp;Senator Tim Scott, said, "White supremacy should be denounced at every turn. I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it," he said.

"If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak," Scott added.

However, upon seeing the major backlash on social media and local media on this comment, Trump, later, backtracked on his statement and, once again pretending to not know who they are, said,&nbsp;"I don't know who Proud Boys are but whoever they are they have to stand down."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-trump-defends-supreme-court-pick-barrett-331308">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: Trump defends Supreme Court pick Barrett</a>

"Stand down, let law enforcement do their work," he said. "Whoever they are, stand down," he continued.

By the time Trump corrected his statement, his Democratic rival &nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZ9JHp7o_sAhW9yjgGHfB6D5oQFjABegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uWmb1SVt292OTp_JacPPr">Joe Biden</a> had already used to opportunity to gain an upper hand.&nbsp;"My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: cease and desist," Biden said. "That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans."

After the debate, Biden started on a tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania — two important states in the election. While campaigning, he was repeatedly asked if he thought the 90-minute debate went well, considering there was constant interruption from Trump and name calling from Biden — such as<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-biden-calls-trump-a-clown-as-candidates-spar-in-first-presidential-debate-331321"> clown</a>, Putin's puppy and a direct put-down where Biden told Trump to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-shut-up-man-biden-accuses-trump-of-lying-331313">shut up</a>. To save his face from the blame of name-calling, Biden quickly shifted the blame to Trump and said, "The president of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was a national embarrassment."

On Wednesday, during the first national presidential debate, the US President Donald Trump not only missed an opportunity to condemn the white supremacist groups, but rather told them to "stand by".

On Wednesday, during the first national presidential debate, the US President Donald Trump not only missed an opportunity to condemn the white supremacist groups, but rather told them to "stand by". This comment was immediately taken to the social media and while some criticised the President sending out message to the group, some — mainly from the group itself — rejoiced on being mentioned in the presidential debate and took it as a message from Trump. Also read: Trump misses opportunity to condemn white supremacists group Proud Boys Afetr the comments, the only African-American Republican in the US Senate, Senator Tim Scott, said, "White supremacy should be denounced at every turn. I think the president misspoke, and he needs to correct it," he said. "If he doesn't correct it, I guess he didn't misspeak," Scott added. However, upon seeing the major backlash on social media and local media on this comment, Trump, later, backtracked on his statement and, once again pretending to not know who they are, said, "I don't know who Proud Boys are but whoever they are they have to stand down." Also read| US election 2020: Trump defends Supreme Court pick Barrett "Stand down, let law enforcement do their work," he said. "Whoever they are, stand down," he continued. By the time Trump corrected his statement, his Democratic rival Joe Biden had already used to opportunity to gain an upper hand. "My message to the Proud Boys and every other white supremacist group is: cease and desist," Biden said. "That's not who we are. This is not who we are as Americans." After the debate, Biden started on a tour of Ohio and Pennsylvania — two important states in the election. While campaigning, he was repeatedly asked if he thought the 90-minute debate went well, considering there was constant interruption from Trump and name calling from Biden — such as clown, Putin's puppy and a direct put-down where Biden told Trump to shut up. To save his face from the blame of name-calling, Biden quickly shifted the blame to Trump and said, "The president of the United States conducted himself the way he did -- I think it was a national embarrassment."

Trump backtracks on Proud Boys; Biden calls debate 'national embarrassment'

Interruptions, cross talk and what not marked the first US Presidential Debate. US President Donald Trump was seen by many to be the aggressor as he took on his Democratic Party rival Joe Biden.

"Joe Biden was certainly saying things that were not accurate," said Lt Steven Roger, who is working with Donald Trump's re-election campaign.&nbsp;

He said when you are trying to elect a person for the most important office in the US, it was unfair that the candidates were given little time to express their viewpoints.

"I think the President did pretty good in articulating law and order issue, the healthcare issue and also the issue whether Joe Biden really controls the party," he said.

At one point during the debate, Joe Biden told Donald Trump to "shut up".

"This debate was a complete disaster for Donald Trump," said Bernard Whitman, Democratic strategist. He had some strong words for the incumbent president.

"Everybody knows that Donald Trump is a bully, he cannot be trusted, that he is a liar and that he is not likable," said Whitman. He opined that Joe Biden put forth his opinions quite assertively and that Trump was not fit to run the country.

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&nbsp;

"It was petty, non-substantive," said Arvin Vohra of the Libertarian Party. He felt that the debater did not stress enough on real issues that the USA faced.

"Half the time they were speaking about Joe Biden's son," said Vohra.

"I thought it was a horror-show," said Reena Shah, a political analyst. She said that it was hard to get true positions from the candidates during the debate.

The first presidential debate was characterised by Donald Trump repeatedly interrupting Joe Biden and even the moderator of the debate.

"Trump had no self-control", said Shah.

The moderator even had to remind Trump that he was not abiding by the rules.

"He is not just a toddler-in-chief he is a gaslighter-in-chief," said Reena Shah. She slammed Trump for continuously trying to set-up a false narrative. She particularly noted that Trump's behaviour during the presidential debate was a disservice to Joe Biden.

A count of Donald Trump's interruptions revealed that he interrupted speakers 73 times in the 90-minute debate.

Lt Steven Roger, who is involved with Donald Trump's re-election campaign conceded that the interruptions did lead the debate astray but he defended Trump by saying that he had many plans for the betterment of the country.

"Joe Biden supports higher taxes, he supports putting people out of work, he supports socialist agenda," said Roger.

Experts seemed to agree that this was the "worst debate" in history. David Whitman opined that Joe Biden won the debate while Lt. Steven Roger said that there was no winner, there was no loser. 
&nbsp;

Interruptions, cross talk and what not marked the first US Presidential Debate. US President Donald Trump was seen by many to be the aggressor as he took on his Democratic Party rival Joe Biden.

Interruptions, cross talk and what not marked the first US Presidential Debate. US President Donald Trump was seen by many to be the aggressor as he took on his Democratic Party rival Joe Biden. "Joe Biden was certainly saying things that were not accurate," said Lt Steven Roger, who is working with Donald Trump's re-election campaign. He said when you are trying to elect a person for the most important office in the US, it was unfair that the candidates were given little time to express their viewpoints. "I think the President did pretty good in articulating law and order issue, the healthcare issue and also the issue whether Joe Biden really controls the party," he said. At one point during the debate, Joe Biden told Donald Trump to "shut up". "This debate was a complete disaster for Donald Trump," said Bernard Whitman, Democratic strategist. He had some strong words for the incumbent president. "Everybody knows that Donald Trump is a bully, he cannot be trusted, that he is a liar and that he is not likable," said Whitman. He opined that Joe Biden put forth his opinions quite assertively and that Trump was not fit to run the country. × "It was petty, non-substantive," said Arvin Vohra of the Libertarian Party. He felt that the debater did not stress enough on real issues that the USA faced. "Half the time they were speaking about Joe Biden's son," said Vohra. "I thought it was a horror-show," said Reena Shah, a political analyst. She said that it was hard to get true positions from the candidates during the debate. The first presidential debate was characterised by Donald Trump repeatedly interrupting Joe Biden and even the moderator of the debate. "Trump had no self-control", said Shah. The moderator even had to remind Trump that he was not abiding by the rules. "He is not just a toddler-in-chief he is a gaslighter-in-chief," said Reena Shah. She slammed Trump for continuously trying to set-up a false narrative. She particularly noted that Trump's behaviour during the presidential debate was a disservice to Joe Biden. A count of Donald Trump's interruptions revealed that he interrupted speakers 73 times in the 90-minute debate. Lt Steven Roger, who is involved with Donald Trump's re-election campaign conceded that the interruptions did lead the debate astray but he defended Trump by saying that he had many plans for the betterment of the country. "Joe Biden supports higher taxes, he supports putting people out of work, he supports socialist agenda," said Roger. Experts seemed to agree that this was the "worst debate" in history. David Whitman opined that Joe Biden won the debate while Lt. Steven Roger said that there was no winner, there was no loser.

US Presidential Debates: Who won round one? Hear what experts say

First US Presidential Debate is over. Millions viewed it across the world. Since the US is an important country, the competence of the US President matters in world affairs.

As usual, journalists and people from all walks of life would now discuss to decide who was the winner of the first debate. Many surveys would be carried out to check what people think. Some would support Trump, some would support Biden, and the result of the online opinion survey would be interpreted by journalists as per their perspectives and prejudices.&nbsp;

While presidential debates of previous US Presidential Elections were not known to have been of scholarly standards the first debate this time around appears to mark a new low standard. Presidential aspirant Joe Biden brought down the standards of the debate by calling Trump a liar and saying that he was bluffing. Trump was a little better, though he unnecessarily and mischievously made reference to Biden's son.

Most of the viewers must have realised that whatever was being said in the debate was said several times before during the last few weeks and nothing interesting was being brought into focus.

Ultimately, what stood out in the debate was Biden calling Trump a liar. People may have been left wondering whether this was a language befitting a presidential aspirant.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/name-calling-during-presidential-election-campaign-in-usa-331048">Name calling during presidential election campaign in USA</a> 
 
The anchor who conducted the debate did not do any better. That's because he gave the impression that he was questioning Trump more critically than Biden. One could not help but note the fact that the anchor did not caution Biden to not use words such a liar.

There was much cross-talk and interruptions by both the candidates which reduced the presidential debate to an acrimonious TV debate. Should those aspiring to become US President reflect such standards?

It was surprising that queries raised by the anchor were very ordinary and it seemed that he did not do his homework properly.

For example, during the debate on COVID-19, there was space for the anchor to ask challenging questions. Questions should have been crafted on the origin of the virus and Trump's criticism of WHO. Trump would have struggled to answer.

Similarly, Biden should have been asked about how he would have handled the COVID 19 crisis better.

It was surprising to see Trump bring up India saying that COVID-19 figures from India were not correct. It would have been appropriate if he would have mentioned the veracity of the figures from China.

The debate may throw up paramount doubts in the minds of the viewers about the possible dearth of talent in US for the choice of the next president.

One only hopes that the second round of debate would be more productive with all three of them namely Trump, Biden and the anchor doing better homework and coming out with probing questions and intelligent answers.

The candidates should avoid abuses. Sarcastic humour is necessary for such debates. However, it can only be an interesting tool when the contesting candidates and the anchor have the debating talent to emphasise their points with humour and impact.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

First US Presidential Debate is over. Millions viewed it across the world. Since the US is an important country, the competence of the US President matters in world affairs.

First US Presidential Debate is over. Millions viewed it across the world. Since the US is an important country, the competence of the US President matters in world affairs. As usual, journalists and people from all walks of life would now discuss to decide who was the winner of the first debate. Many surveys would be carried out to check what people think. Some would support Trump, some would support Biden, and the result of the online opinion survey would be interpreted by journalists as per their perspectives and prejudices. While presidential debates of previous US Presidential Elections were not known to have been of scholarly standards the first debate this time around appears to mark a new low standard. Presidential aspirant Joe Biden brought down the standards of the debate by calling Trump a liar and saying that he was bluffing. Trump was a little better, though he unnecessarily and mischievously made reference to Biden's son. Most of the viewers must have realised that whatever was being said in the debate was said several times before during the last few weeks and nothing interesting was being brought into focus. Ultimately, what stood out in the debate was Biden calling Trump a liar. People may have been left wondering whether this was a language befitting a presidential aspirant. Also Read | Name calling during presidential election campaign in USA The anchor who conducted the debate did not do any better. That's because he gave the impression that he was questioning Trump more critically than Biden. One could not help but note the fact that the anchor did not caution Biden to not use words such a liar. There was much cross-talk and interruptions by both the candidates which reduced the presidential debate to an acrimonious TV debate. Should those aspiring to become US President reflect such standards? It was surprising that queries raised by the anchor were very ordinary and it seemed that he did not do his homework properly. For example, during the debate on COVID-19, there was space for the anchor to ask challenging questions. Questions should have been crafted on the origin of the virus and Trump's criticism of WHO. Trump would have struggled to answer. Similarly, Biden should have been asked about how he would have handled the COVID 19 crisis better. It was surprising to see Trump bring up India saying that COVID-19 figures from India were not correct. It would have been appropriate if he would have mentioned the veracity of the figures from China. The debate may throw up paramount doubts in the minds of the viewers about the possible dearth of talent in US for the choice of the next president. One only hopes that the second round of debate would be more productive with all three of them namely Trump, Biden and the anchor doing better homework and coming out with probing questions and intelligent answers. The candidates should avoid abuses. Sarcastic humour is necessary for such debates. However, it can only be an interesting tool when the contesting candidates and the anchor have the debating talent to emphasise their points with humour and impact. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

US Presidential Debate: A listless affair

In a socially distanced 1st US Presidential election debate, Donald Trump & Joe Biden expressed their acrid contempt for each other. So who won this first round of debate? Palki Sharma Upadhyay discusses with a special panel of guests.

US Election Dialogue: Who won the first round of Presidential election debate?

After yesterday's chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Jow Biden. The US debate organisers are mulling changing the rules to avoid any unruly behavior. Watch report.

US Election 2020: Planners vow less chaos at the next debate?

Ahead of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a>, the Democratic candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZ9JHp7o_sAhW9yjgGHfB6D5oQFjABegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uWmb1SVt292OTp_JacPPr">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;decided toallegedly woo the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is an ally of the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwihr5ry7o_sAhWawzgGHb0eDLAQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AfO9799mZXkwQdiR-a7m_">Donald Trump</a>.

Biden had offered to pay up to US$20 billion to help save the depleting Amazon wildforests. The topic was initiated in the first&nbsp;Presidential debate&nbsp;that took place on Septmber 19 in Ohio. "Rainforests of Brazil are being torn down, are being ripped down," Biden&nbsp;&nbsp;said during the segment on climate change.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unga-2020-bolsonaro-calls-brazil-victim-of-brutal-disinformation-on-amazon-329477">Also read|&nbsp;UNGA 2020: Bolsonaro calls Brazil victim of 'brutal disinformation' on Amazon</a>

He further added that if chosen would be "gathering up and making sure we had the countries of the world coming up with $20 billion to say 'here's $20 billion, stop tearing down the forest and if you don't, you are going to have significant economic consequences.'"

However,&nbsp;Bolsonaro slammed back at the offer and called it a 'bribe' and a shameful act. He took to Twitter to decline the offer and give a&nbsp;reply to the frontrunner.

"What some have not yet understood is that Brazil has changed. Today, its President, unlike the left, no longer accepts bribes, criminal demarcations or unfounded threats. OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE," he said in a series of tweets.&nbsp;(Text has been translated)

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1- O candidato à presidência dos EUA, Joe Biden, disse ontem que poderia nos pagar U$ 20 bilhões para pararmos de "destruir" a Amazônia ou nos imporia sérias restrições econômicas.
— Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/jairbolsonaro/status/1311325653179006977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Bolsonaro openly condemned the statement by&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;and urged him to not act out of 'greedy' motives. "However, the explicit demonstration of this greed by someone who is running for the presidency of his country is a clear sign of contempt for cordial and fruitful coexistence between two sovereign nations."

He also hinted towards his friendship with the Presiden&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;by mentioning his ongoing conversation with&nbsp;Trump.&nbsp;"US cooperation is welcome, including for sustainable investment projects that create decent jobs for the Amazonian population, as I have been talking to President Trump."

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The Bolsonaro-led government has often clashed with the international media and western governments over protection and destruction of the Amazon forests.&nbsp;

Ahead of the US elections, the Democratic candidate Joe Biden decided toallegedly woo the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is an ally of the US President Donald Trump.

Ahead of the US elections, the Democratic candidate Joe Biden decided toallegedly woo the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who is an ally of the US President Donald Trump. Biden had offered to pay up to US$20 billion to help save the depleting Amazon wildforests. The topic was initiated in the first Presidential debate that took place on Septmber 19 in Ohio. "Rainforests of Brazil are being torn down, are being ripped down," Biden said during the segment on climate change. Also read| UNGA 2020: Bolsonaro calls Brazil victim of 'brutal disinformation' on Amazon He further added that if chosen would be "gathering up and making sure we had the countries of the world coming up with $20 billion to say 'here's $20 billion, stop tearing down the forest and if you don't, you are going to have significant economic consequences.'" However, Bolsonaro slammed back at the offer and called it a 'bribe' and a shameful act. He took to Twitter to decline the offer and give a reply to the frontrunner. "What some have not yet understood is that Brazil has changed. Today, its President, unlike the left, no longer accepts bribes, criminal demarcations or unfounded threats. OUR SOVEREIGNTY IS NON-NEGOTIABLE," he said in a series of tweets. (Text has been translated) 1- O candidato à presidência dos EUA, Joe Biden, disse ontem que poderia nos pagar U$ 20 bilhões para pararmos de "destruir" a Amazônia ou nos imporia sérias restrições econômicas. — Jair M. Bolsonaro (@jairbolsonaro) September 30, 2020 × Bolsonaro openly condemned the statement by Biden and urged him to not act out of 'greedy' motives. "However, the explicit demonstration of this greed by someone who is running for the presidency of his country is a clear sign of contempt for cordial and fruitful coexistence between two sovereign nations." He also hinted towards his friendship with the Presiden Donald Trump by mentioning his ongoing conversation with Trump. "US cooperation is welcome, including for sustainable investment projects that create decent jobs for the Amazonian population, as I have been talking to President Trump." × The Bolsonaro-led government has often clashed with the international media and western governments over protection and destruction of the Amazon forests.

'Brazil does not accept bribes': Bolsonaro slams Biden for offering help for Amazon

After a chaotic and controversial US presidential debate of Tuesday night, Google search results for “move to Canada” spiked in the hours following the debate, as many Americans contemplated abandoning their country for the true north strong and free.

The Presidential debate between Joe Biden and President Trump was an absolute dumpster fire. For 90 minutes both Trump and Biden just yelled at each other in one of the most unpleasant debates in history.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderator-of-us-elections-debate-snaps-at-trump-for-speaking-out-of-time-331319">Also read:Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time</a>

The Trump-Biden debate had a lot of Americans wanting to make way for the northern border, or at least writing or tweeting about it.&nbsp;

Queries for “how to apply for Canadian citizenship” skyrocketed about an hour into the yelling match between the two men, peaking around 10:30 p.m., according to Google.

The search was most popular in the state of Massachusetts, followed by Ohio and Michigan.

Meanwhile, the organizers of the US presidential debate were left speechless after the US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden engaged in a 'chaotic' debate.

The first presidential debate of the US elections 2020 were nothing less than a chaos of three men talking at the same time, of which one was trying to take his turn and the moderator was simply asking to establish order. This was one of rare times — probably the first — when the moderator had to ask a candidate that their campaign manager had agreed to rules which were being flouted by the candidate.

The debate's chaos and lack of order was highly criticised. While the Democrats blamed Trump for constant interruptions, and the Republicans defended the President by claiming it to be Biden's fault for saying 'absurd' statements, the Debate Commission has decided to put it behind them and prepare for the next debate. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

After a chaotic and controversial US presidential debate of Tuesday night, Google search results for “move to Canada” spiked in the hours following the debate, as many Americans contemplated abandoning their country for the true north strong and free.

After a chaotic and controversial US presidential debate of Tuesday night, Google search results for “move to Canada” spiked in the hours following the debate, as many Americans contemplated abandoning their country for the true north strong and free. The Presidential debate between Joe Biden and President Trump was an absolute dumpster fire. For 90 minutes both Trump and Biden just yelled at each other in one of the most unpleasant debates in history. Also read:Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time The Trump-Biden debate had a lot of Americans wanting to make way for the northern border, or at least writing or tweeting about it. Queries for “how to apply for Canadian citizenship” skyrocketed about an hour into the yelling match between the two men, peaking around 10:30 p.m., according to Google. The search was most popular in the state of Massachusetts, followed by Ohio and Michigan. Meanwhile, the organizers of the US presidential debate were left speechless after the US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden engaged in a 'chaotic' debate. The first presidential debate of the US elections 2020 were nothing less than a chaos of three men talking at the same time, of which one was trying to take his turn and the moderator was simply asking to establish order. This was one of rare times — probably the first — when the moderator had to ask a candidate that their campaign manager had agreed to rules which were being flouted by the candidate. The debate's chaos and lack of order was highly criticised. While the Democrats blamed Trump for constant interruptions, and the Republicans defended the President by claiming it to be Biden's fault for saying 'absurd' statements, the Debate Commission has decided to put it behind them and prepare for the next debate. (With inputs from agencies)

After US presidential debate, Google search surge for ‘how to apply for Canadian citizenship’

In what was supposed to be an attempt to sway the undecided voters, Presidential Debates 2020 unraveled INTO shout fest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace TRIED, but FAILED to control the candidates & their brutal rebuttals

US Election 2020: A brutal cross-talk Extravanganza | Donald Trump vs Joe Biden

In the one-of-a-kind cross talk extravaganza, Donald Trump dusted off a series of falsehoods, & Joe Biden (when he was allowed to speak uninterrupted) floated some inaccuracies too. WION brings you a detailed report on the CLAIMS & the FACTS

US Election 2020: Series of falsehoods & inaccuracies

In a socially distanced 1st #PresidentialDebate2020, Donald Trump & Joe Biden expressed their acrid contempt for each other. Tuesday night's debate became a spectacle of utter ignorance of the traditional parameters & trampled down debate decorum.

US Election 2020: Major takeaways of 1st presidential debate

The US President Donald Trump missed the opportunity to condemn the actions by White supremacists groups&nbsp;during the first presidential debate that took place in Ohio on September 29.

When the debate moderator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderator-of-us-elections-debate-snaps-at-trump-for-speaking-out-of-time-331319">Chris Wallace</a>&nbsp;asked&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;if he was willing to call out and reject the various&nbsp;racist and militia groups, such as Proud Bys, he tried to deflect the question.

However, when pressed upon the subject,&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;said 'Give me a name and I will say it', and then called out to Proud Boys and said,&nbsp;"Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-trump-defies-friendship-with-pm-modi-questions-indias-covid-data-331361">Also read|&nbsp;US Elections 2020: Trump defies friendship with PM Modi; questions India's COVID data</a>

He quickly tried to jump from the subject by blaming all chaotic situations on the left-wing movement&nbsp;Antifa.&nbsp;"But I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about Antifa," he said.

The statement garned a lot of criticism on various social media platforms.

An American journalist published a screenshot of several posts of the members of the 'Proud Boys' group on various social media platforms in which they can be seen rejoicing in the fact that only were they mentioned in the debate, but were also sent a message by the President and claimed to be "ready".

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The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate tonight. 
 
"Trump basically said to go fuck them up! this makes me so happy," writes one prominent Proud Boy. <a href="https://t.co/hYA7yQVAOn">pic.twitter.com/hYA7yQVAOn</a>
— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/ByMikeBaker/status/1311130735584051201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump's Democratic opponent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZ9JHp7o_sAhW9yjgGHfB6D5oQFjABegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uWmb1SVt292OTp_JacPPr">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;too, retweeted this saying "This. This is Donald Trump's America."

Withing minutes of the statement, the group also started circulating designed messages and rolled out t-shirts that read "Oroud Boys&nbsp;"Standing By".

The US President Donald Trump missed the opportunity to condemn the actions by White supremacists groups during the first presidential debate that took place in Ohio on September 29.

The US President Donald Trump missed the opportunity to condemn the actions by White supremacists groups during the first presidential debate that took place in Ohio on September 29. When the debate moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump if he was willing to call out and reject the various racist and militia groups, such as Proud Bys, he tried to deflect the question. However, when pressed upon the subject, Trump said 'Give me a name and I will say it', and then called out to Proud Boys and said, "Proud Boys -- stand back and stand by." Also read| US Elections 2020: Trump defies friendship with PM Modi; questions India's COVID data He quickly tried to jump from the subject by blaming all chaotic situations on the left-wing movement Antifa. "But I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what, somebody's got to do something about Antifa," he said. The statement garned a lot of criticism on various social media platforms. An American journalist published a screenshot of several posts of the members of the 'Proud Boys' group on various social media platforms in which they can be seen rejoicing in the fact that only were they mentioned in the debate, but were also sent a message by the President and claimed to be "ready". The Proud Boys are ecstatic tonight about getting mentioned in the debate tonight. "Trump basically said to go fuck them up! this makes me so happy," writes one prominent Proud Boy. pic.twitter.com/hYA7yQVAOn — Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) September 30, 2020 × Trump's Democratic opponent Joe Biden too, retweeted this saying "This. This is Donald Trump's America." Withing minutes of the statement, the group also started circulating designed messages and rolled out t-shirts that read "Oroud Boys "Standing By".

Trump misses opportunity to condemn white supremacists group Proud Boys

The first U.S. presidential debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat challenger Joe Biden likely attracted a much smaller audience than the record set four years ago, according to preliminary ratings data released on Wednesday.

An estimated 28.7 million people tuned in on broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, below the roughly 45 million viewers million who watched Trump debate former first lady Hillary Clinton on those channels in 2016.

Data from additional networks was due to be released later on Wednesday.

In a chaotic 90-minute faceoff ahead of the Nov. 3 election, Biden and Trump battled fiercely over Trump`s record on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and the economy

The early figures suggest the final total television tally will rank well below the record 84 million for the first Trump-Clinton debate in 2016, a rare number in an age of digital streaming.

The TV numbers do not include people who watched via online platforms, which are growing in popularity as traditional TV viewership declines.

The first U.S. presidential debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat challenger Joe Biden likely attracted a much smaller audience than the record set four years ago, according to preliminary ratings data released on Wednesday.

The first U.S. presidential debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democrat challenger Joe Biden likely attracted a much smaller audience than the record set four years ago, according to preliminary ratings data released on Wednesday. An estimated 28.7 million people tuned in on broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, below the roughly 45 million viewers million who watched Trump debate former first lady Hillary Clinton on those channels in 2016. Data from additional networks was due to be released later on Wednesday. In a chaotic 90-minute faceoff ahead of the Nov. 3 election, Biden and Trump battled fiercely over Trump`s record on the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare and the economy The early figures suggest the final total television tally will rank well below the record 84 million for the first Trump-Clinton debate in 2016, a rare number in an age of digital streaming. The TV numbers do not include people who watched via online platforms, which are growing in popularity as traditional TV viewership declines.

Trump-Biden TV debate audience slumps below 2016 record, early data show

Whether or not the election result will be revealed soon after the November 03 date is still not clear, but the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwihr5ry7o_sAhWawzgGHb0eDLAQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw0AfO9799mZXkwQdiR-a7m_">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;has already had his share of controversies related to it.

While the Democratic candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiZ9JHp7o_sAhW9yjgGHfB6D5oQFjABegQICRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2uWmb1SVt292OTp_JacPPr">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;assured the public he will accept the outcome of the votes cast on November 03,&nbsp;Trump, once again, deflected the question.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moderator-of-us-elections-debate-snaps-at-trump-for-speaking-out-of-time-331319">Also read|&nbsp;Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time</a>

During the first presidential debate for the&nbsp;upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a>&nbsp;2020,&nbsp;Biden&nbsp;talked about the ballot voting that is taking place in majority states this year due to the ongoing coronavirus oandemic, and assure that he would accept the result, irrespective of who wins the post.&nbsp;"If it's me, if it's not me, I'll support the outcome," the frontrunner said.

Trump, however, deflected the question once again accusing the United STates Postal Services (USPS) of not being competent enough to handle mail-in voting at such a large scale.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-biden-calls-trump-a-clown-as-candidates-spar-in-first-presidential-debate-331321">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: Biden calls Trump a 'clown' as candidates spar in first presidential debate</a>

He also hinted that due to the alleged incompetency of the USPS, the results for the US elections may not be known for months.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We might not know for months," Trump said. "This is not going to end well."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-elections-2020-shut-up-man-biden-accuses-trump-of-lying-331313">Also read|&nbsp;US elections 2020: 'Shut up, man' — Biden accuses Trump of lying</a>

He also alleged the situation in Philadelphia is 'very scary' and accused officials of blocking the people from observing the first day of&nbsp;in-person early voting in the state.

"Today there was a big problem,” Trump said. “In Philadelphia they went in to watch. They’re called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They weren’t allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things.”

"I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully," he added.

Whether or not the election result will be revealed soon after the November 03 date is still not clear, but the US President Donald Trump has already had his share of controversies related to it.

Whether or not the election result will be revealed soon after the November 03 date is still not clear, but the US President Donald Trump has already had his share of controversies related to it. While the Democratic candidate Joe Biden assured the public he will accept the outcome of the votes cast on November 03, Trump, once again, deflected the question. Also read| Moderator of US elections debate snaps at Trump for speaking out of time During the first presidential debate for the upcoming US elections 2020, Biden talked about the ballot voting that is taking place in majority states this year due to the ongoing coronavirus oandemic, and assure that he would accept the result, irrespective of who wins the post. "If it's me, if it's not me, I'll support the outcome," the frontrunner said. Trump, however, deflected the question once again accusing the United STates Postal Services (USPS) of not being competent enough to handle mail-in voting at such a large scale. Also read| US election 2020: Biden calls Trump a 'clown' as candidates spar in first presidential debate He also hinted that due to the alleged incompetency of the USPS, the results for the US elections may not be known for months. "We might not know for months," Trump said. "This is not going to end well." Also read| US elections 2020: 'Shut up, man' — Biden accuses Trump of lying He also alleged the situation in Philadelphia is 'very scary' and accused officials of blocking the people from observing the first day of in-person early voting in the state. "Today there was a big problem,” Trump said. “In Philadelphia they went in to watch. They’re called poll watchers. A very safe, very nice thing. They were thrown out. They weren’t allowed to watch. You know why? Because bad things happen in Philadelphia, bad things.” "I'm urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully," he added.

Trump says 'this will end badly' for US elections result

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