The second and final of what was to have been three debates between U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden is taking place on Thursday, Oct. 22 at Nashville’s Belmont University.
The first debate was widely regarded as an embarrassing trainwreck, with Trump interrupting Biden a whopping 71 times, barrelling over him as Biden attempted to speak while helpless moderator Chris Wallace vainly attempted to restore order to what ended up becoming 90 minutes of utter chaos.
The second debate had been scheduled for Oct. 15; with Trump having contracted COVID-19 at some nebulous point, the debate commission decreed that debate would be virtual. Trump balked and withdrew.
Instead, Biden and Trump held competing town halls, with Biden’s airing on ABC and Trump’s on NBC, the latter turning into a contentious hour thanks to moderator Savannah Guthrie’s refusal to let Trump provide non-answers to her questions.
With the presidential election less than two weeks away, this is a make-or-break debate for the president, whose botched handling of the COVID-19 pandemic (among other factors) has led Biden to gain a comfortable lead in all polls.
As the debate progresses, here’s what celebrities are saying about it on Twitter:
Where is the mute button 🤷🏽♀️?#PresidentialDebate2020 pic.twitter.com/9R4AzEo5w8
— Omarosa (@OMAROSA) October 23, 2020
I want a president who pays his fair share of taxes like the rest of us. #BidenPaysHisTaxes
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) October 23, 2020
Donald Trump doesn’t seem as fired up as usual in this debate. He must have dunked himself in Regular Cheeto dust tonight instead of Flamin' Hot. #Debates2020
— 22Minutes (@22_Minutes) October 23, 2020
Watching the debate and the game at the same 🙃🙃
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) October 23, 2020
It was your own people that asked for the Ukraine investigation. You were impeached. That happened. You tried to bribe the Ukrainian government. #Debate2020
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) October 23, 2020
Looks like turning off Trump’s mic makes a better debate. #debates
— Al Franken (@alfranken) October 23, 2020
She’s doing a great job – @kwelkernbc — in command and doing follow ups. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) October 23, 2020
“I don’t look at this in terms that he does: blue states and red states. It’s The United States.” @JoeBiden is running to unite this country that has been ripped at the seams. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Uzo Aduba (@UzoAduba) October 23, 2020
Any country who interferes in
our elections, will pay a price!
-Joe Biden#Debates2020#DebateTonight #PresidentialDebate2020 #KidVicious— Kirk Acevedo🇺🇸 (@kirkacevedo) October 23, 2020
He came out the gate lying.
— Wanda Sykes (@iamwandasykes) October 23, 2020
Yaas, Joe is spilling the tea & unraveling the receipts, very spicy! #PresidentialDebate2020
— bevysmith (@bevysmith) October 23, 2020
Mute. Button. #PresidentialDebate2020
— Stephen tWitch Boss (@official_tWitch) October 23, 2020
Former VP @JoeBiden: "I don’t look at this as blue states or red states. They are all the United States. And look at the states that are having such a spike in the coronavirus. They are the red states." #PresidentialDebate2020
— Norah O'Donnell 🇺🇸 (@NorahODonnell) October 23, 2020
.@JoeBiden firmly denies that he has taken any money from any country, turns it back on the President re: tax releases #PresidentialDebate2020
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) October 23, 2020
I LOVE THIS Trump! COOL CALM AND POIGNANT !! You have WON THE DEBATE!!
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 23, 2020
Now is the time of the debate when we get into the Fox News alternate universe talking points and most Americans are scratching their heads with no idea of what Donald Trump is talking about.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) October 23, 2020
Trump’s desperation is palpable. I’m trying to be a good Buddhist and not take joy in another’s suffering.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 23, 2020
Why would @JoeBiden terminate a healthcare plan he helped create?!
WHY?
Who in their right mind would believe this mess?
Here’s my first gif: pic.twitter.com/2UJca5GuQm
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) October 23, 2020
“I am the least racist person in this room”- Things a racist would say for 500 Alex. #PresidentialDebate2020
— aasif mandvi (@aasif) October 23, 2020
This debate needs a fly, quickly.
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) October 23, 2020
Trump’s Xanax is wearing off. #Debate2020
— Tom Arnold (@TomArnold) October 23, 2020
A full page ad, from the least racist person in that room #Debates2020pic.twitter.com/VwTAlJcTKd
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) October 23, 2020
Also, can we take a second to acknowledge that Trump said to Kristen Welker… A BLACK WOMAN … that he's the least racist person in the room #Debates2020
— Yara shahidi (@YaraShahidi) October 23, 2020
this is the room trump is least racist in.. #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/fZEdO8wT8l
— Aubrey O'Day (@AubreyODay) October 23, 2020
“You both have very different visions on climate change. Biden, you’ve supported a carbon tax. President Trump, you just threw a 7/11 big gulp cup on the ground.” #Debates2020
— Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) October 23, 2020
My entire life I’ve looked south of the border with some awe and respect. I thought the American dream was aspirational. I hope the good people of America will elect Biden and get the lying and divisiveness over with so we can celebrate this great nation once again. #Debates2020
— Arlene Dickinson (@ArleneDickinson) October 23, 2020
What the hell happened to the mute button? #Debates2020
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) October 23, 2020
“Abraham Lincoln over here” one of the funniest Biden comments
— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) October 23, 2020
WHAT IS TRUMP HIDING?
Everything.
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 23, 2020
Even Scorsese thinks this debate should be shorter #Debates2020
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) October 23, 2020
