September 29th was the first debate between current president Donald J. Trump and former vice president Joseph R. Biden. What was hoped to be a fair and honest debate turned into one of the biggest circuses our country has ever been witnessed too. It was an hour and a half of petty insults, constant interruptions, and most importantly, a lack of any substance. It continues to show the crumbling political structure of our two-party system, as both candidates bickered like old men at a retirement home. 

The debate started with President Trump openly calling Joe Biden a socialist, without understanding what a socialist is. Trump’s performance in this debate further highlights what a lot of media pundits say about him; that he’s an unpresidential, hot-headed bully. Rather than attacking Joe Biden on policy, he attempted to insult his intelligence and, in some cases, blatantly lied about what Biden stood for.  

When asked to condemn white supremacists, the president deflected, bringing up his typical boogeymen in Antifa and The Black Lives Matter movement. He also indirectly told a group known as the Proud Boys, an American nationalist group, to “stand by, and be ready.” Whether or not this was a slip up or not, his erratic attitude towards Chris Wallace, the moderator of the debate, certainly did not help his other positions. 

On the other side of the isle was former vice president Joseph Biden. To say his performance was underwhelming is an understatement. Throughout most of the debate, he constantly stumbled over his own words, often having to repeat his sentences. When pushed about his position on climate change, Biden stated he did not support the proposed Green New Deal, rather supporting what he called “The Biden Plan”. He barely went into what this plan entailed, and constantly dodged the question. 

A significant highlight in this debate came late, as President Trump insulted Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, as a drug addict. A seemingly very low blow, Biden’s response of awkwardly looking into the camera and barely formulating his statement left much to be desired. 

This debate is only a microcosm of the current state of our country. We now have the choice between two old, senile men to attempt to fix our nation. That thought should terrify any sensible patriot, let alone an American. It’s a perfect showcase of our government: sloppy, out of touch, and just plain embarrassing.