Top five moments from Biden and Trump’s 2020 presidential debates – Washington Examiner
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are gearing up for their first debate of the 2024 election cycle, set for June 27. This debate follows their previous encounters during the 2020 presidential campaign, which were marked by significant incidents. Highlights from those past debates included Trump’s controversial directive to the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by” when asked to denounce white supremacy, which provoked reactions from the group. Biden countered Trump’s comments on left-wing violence by describing antifa as an “idea,” citing the FBI Director’s stance and distinguishing it from an organized group. Additionally, in a heated moment, Biden told Trump to “shut up, man” during a clash over whether to expand the Supreme Court. Biden also dealt with accusations concerning his son Hunter’s laptop, which Trump labeled as “the laptop from hell,” suggesting it contained compromising information. Biden dismissed the allegations, attributing them to Russian misinformation, although the authenticity of the laptop’s contents was later verified, sparking further inquiries.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are both preparing for their first faceoff of the 2024 cycle.
The first presidential debate is scheduled to be held on Thursday, June 27, and in an important contest that could make or break both candidates’ 2024 bids. However, Thursday’s affair is not the first time the pair have gone head-to-head, having previously debated twice during the 2020 presidential election.
The Washington Examiner has compiled some of the most memorable moments from Biden and Trump’s 2020 debates below.
Trump tells Proud Boys to ‘stand back and stand by’
Trump was pressed by debate moderator Chris Wallace to denounce white supremacy on the heels of violent acts in some U.S. cities at Black Lives Matter protests in the summer of 2020. Leaders of the far-right group Proud Boys later cheered Trump’s mention of them.
Trump: “What do you want to call them? Give me a name, give me a name. Go ahead, who would you like me to condemn?”
Wallace: “White supremacists and racists.”
Biden: “Proud Boys.”
Wallace: “White supremacists and white militias.”
Biden: “Proud Boys.”
Trump: “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll tell you what: Somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the Left because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem.”
Biden calls antifa ‘an idea’
Following Trump’s message to the Proud Boys, Biden downplayed violent acts from left-wing activists attributed to the anti-fascist movement known as antifa.
Biden: “His own FBI Director [Christopher Wray] said unlike white supremacists…”
Trump: “This is a left-wing problem.”
Biden: “…antifa is an idea, not an organization….”
Trump: “Oh, you gotta be kidding.”
Biden: “… not a militia. That’s what his FBI director said.”
Trump: “Well, then you know what, he’s wrong.”
Biden tells Trump to ‘shut up, man’
The debates repeatedly devolved into shouting matches featuring which candidate could better talk over the other. In one instance, a frustrated Biden told Trump to “shut up” as they debated whether to end the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold or expand the Supreme Court to combat its conservative majority. Many Democrats have called for action on both fronts, but Biden ultimately declined to stake out positions.
Biden: “Whatever position I take on that, that’ll become the issue. The issue is the American people should speak. You should go out and vote. You’re voting now. Vote and let your senators know how strongly you feel.”
Trump: “Are you going to pack the court?”
Biden: “Vote now.”
Trump: “Are you going to pack the court?”
Biden: “Make sure you, in fact, let people know, your senators.”
Trump: “He doesn’t want to answer the question.”
Biden: “I’m not going to answer the question.”
Trump: “Why wouldn’t you answer that question? You want to put a lot of new Supreme Court justices. Radical Left.”
Biden: “Will you shut up, man?”
Trump: “Listen, who is on your list, Joe? Who’s on your list?”
Wallace: “Gentlemen, I think we’ve ended this—”
Biden: “This is so un-presidential.”
Biden says Hunter Biden laptop is a ‘Russian plant’
Biden accused Trump of spreading Russian misinformation by referencing a laptop owned by his son, Hunter Biden, and his business dealings with Ukraine that were major subjects of reporting by the New York Post.
The laptop, which contained business emails from Hunter Biden, was initially written off by many as potential Russian propaganda but was later confirmed to be authentic and fueled investigations by congressional Republicans into the Bidens.
Trump: “It’s the laptop from hell.”
NBC’s Kristen Welker: “President Trump, we’re talking about race right now and I do want to stay on the issue of race. President Trump—”
Biden: “Nobody — Kristen, I have to respond to that.”
Welker: “Please, very quickly.”
Biden: “Look, there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what this he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant. They have said that this has all the characteristics — four — five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s saying is a bunch of garbage. Nobody believes it except him and his good friend Rudy Giuliani.”
Trump: “You mean, the laptop is now another Russia, Russia, Russia hoax? You gotta be—”
Biden: “That’s exactly what — that’s exactly what—“
Trump: “Is this where you’re going? This is where he’s going. The laptop is Russia, Russia, Russia?”
Trump tells Biden he’s lost the ‘radical Left’ for opposing Green New Deal
Biden refused to endorse the Green New Deal, the sweeping climate change package championed by progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) that would overhaul the U.S. economy and its energy usage. It also included social justice priorities. Biden instead touted his dueling $2 trillion proposal that was not as far-reaching.
Wallace: “Do you support the Green New Deal?”
Biden: “No, I don’t support the Green New Deal.”
Trump: “Oh, you don’t? Oh, well, that’s a big statement.”
Biden: “I support…”
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Trump: “You just lost the radical Left. It’s done.”
Biden: “…I support the Biden plan that I put forward.”
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