Trump and Biden clash over Covid in more muted debate

The second and final presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden was a much more civil affair than last month’s widely panned first debate.

With a mute button in place this time around, the candidates interrupted each other far less frequently, even as they clashed on issues ranging from the coronavirus to crime and global warming.

While Mr Trump and Mr Biden responded to each other’s answers – shaking their heads disapprovingly or smiling, in the case of Mr Biden – the two largely avoided speaking over one another.

And neither man tried to speak at length while he was muted during opening questions.

They opened the debate by sparring over the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Trump insisted he had done a good job with the pandemic and said the country needs to “learn to live with it”. Mr Biden shot back: “People are learning to die with it.”

Respond ing to unfounded allegations from Mr Trump that he has received funds from Russian sources, Mr Biden noted that he has released 22 years of taxes, which he says show “I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life”.

Pointing at Mr Trump, Mr Biden asked: “What are you hiding?”

To close out the debate, both men offered divergent versions of what the y would tell Americans who did not support them on a hypothetical Inauguration Day.

Mr Trump said that if he were re-elected, he would tell them that “success is going to bring us together, we are on the road to success”.

Meanwhile, Mr Biden said he would tell his detractors that “I represent all of you, whether you voted for or against me” and “I’m going to make sure that you ’re represented”.

FINAL SHOWDOWN: Donald Trump and Joe Biden during their last presidential debate.