Final Biden-Trump debate covers coronavirus

President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden have wrapped their second and final debate of the 2020 campaign.

They offered starkly differing views of the administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, traded accusations about their personal ethics and questioned each other’s records on economic and racial-justice issues in the final debate before the Nov. 3 election.

The debate covered the novel coronavirus and the federal government’s response; national security, the election and China; American families, poverty and federal relief; immigration; race in America; and climate change. The final question to each candidate was on what they would say at a 2021 inauguration to Americans who did not vote for them.

The tone of Thursday night’s debate was less combative than during the pair’s first meeting three weeks earlier, with fewer interruptions, as their microphones were muted at times.

he session was held after more than 47 million Americans—more than a third of the total 2016 vote—already have cast ballots.
Mr. Trump, who frequently interrupted Mr. Biden and the moderator at the first debate, offered a calmer delivery and both candidates delved further into policy details than at the first session.

But certain topics, such as race, produced fiery exchanges, with Mr. Biden pressing his rival on his record in office and Mr. Trump saying the former vice president should have done more in a long career in public service.