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NATION SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2020 BAKER CITY HERALD — 5A Last debate sticks, mostly, to issues ■ Donald Trump and Joe Biden trade verbal barbs, but they also delve into COVID-19, racial relations and climate change By Bill Barrow and Zeke Miller Associated Press WASHINGTON — Presi- dent Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden met for the second and last time on a debate stage after a previously scheduled town hall debate was scrapped after the Republican incum- bent became one of the mil- lions of Americans to contract the coronavirus. For Trump, the matchup at Tennessee’s Belmont University on Thursday was perhaps the fi nal opportunity to change the dynamics of a race dominated, much to his chagrin, by his response to the pandemic and its economic fallout. For Biden, it was 90 minutes to solidify an appar- ent lead less than two weeks before the election. Here are key takeaways: COVID-19 STILL A DRAG FOR TRUMP Trump’s diffi culty articulat- ing a defense of his handling of the coronavirus remains a drag on his campaign. The opening topic of the debate was entirely predictable — Trump has received variations of the same question in inter- views and has rarely delivered a clear answer. Asked to outline his plan for the future, Trump instead as- serted his prior handling was without fault and predicted a rosy reversal to the pandemic, which has killed more than 223,000 people in the United States. “We’re rounding the turn, we’re rounding the corner,” Trump claimed, even as cases spike again across the country. “It’s going away.” Biden, who has sought to prosecute Trump’s handling of the virus in his closing pitch Biden sounded the alarm for the world to address a warming climate, as Trump took credit for pulling the U.S. out of a major international accord to do just that. Trump asserted he was trying to save American jobs, while taking credit for some of the cleanest air and water the nation has seen in generations — some of it a holdover of regulations passed by his predecessor. Biden, tapping into an issue of particular importance to his base, called for massive investment to create new WHITE MEN AND RACE Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press-TNS environmentally friendly in- The fi nal 2020 presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic With centuries of institu- dustries. “Our health and our nominee Joe Biden took place Thursday in Nashville, Tennessee. tional racism coming to a jobs are at stake,” he said. head in 2020, it’s been a bit of Biden also spoke of a tran- disconnect to see a 74-year- socialized medicine by relying back-and-forth about their to voters, came prepared. sition from the oil industry, old white Republican and a “Anyone who’s responsible for on his well-established public personal fi nances and family which Trump seized upon, 77-year-old white Democrat asking voters in Texas and persona — and his vanquish- business entanglements. that many deaths should not battle for the presidency. ing of Democratic primary remain as president of the But on the whole, voters Pennsylvania if they were Trump and Biden did little to listening. United States of America,” he rivals with more liberal health at home got something they care policies. said. didn’t get on Sept. 29: a debate. dispel that disconnect. FOREIGN POLICY MAKES Welker offered both mul- Biden added: “He says we’re, TRUMP TONES IT DOWN TRUMP’S INDIRECT A CAMEO tiple opportunities to talk you know, we’re learning to live PERSONAL ATTACKS Three weeks after drawing Biden fi nally got a chance directly to Black Americans. with it. People are learning to bipartisan criticism for his Aiming to alter the trajec- to talk a little foreign policy. Both men said they under- die with it.” tory of the race, Trump frequent interruptions and But only a little. The former stood the challenges Black TRUMP ATTACKS badgering of his Democratic returned to a tactic that he citizens face, but the segment vice president loved the topic OBAMACARE, AGAIN rival, Trump adopted a more in the early months of the believes boosted him to the amounted mostly to them Trump and Biden each subdued tone for much of the Democratic presidential pri- Oval Offi ce four years ago — blasting each other. sought to position himself debate. staccato personal attacks on Trump blamed Biden as an mary, but the general election as the defender of America’s Trump took to asking has been dominated by the his opponent. almost singular force behind health care, keenly aware that moderator Kristen Welker for Trump repeatedly leveled mass incarceration, especially pandemic and other national it ranked among the top issues the opportunity to follow up on unsupported allegations of “young Black men.” Trump crises. Biden’s answers — “If I may?” against Biden and his son He used it to hammer for voters even before the declared himself “the least — rather than just jumping in, Hunter in an attempt to cast racist person in this room” and Trump’s cozy relationship coronavirus pandemic struck the nation. and he thanked Welker repeat- his rival and his family as with North Korea’s authori- repeated his claim that “no- But Trump’s efforts to repeal edly to boot. corrupt. body has done what I’ve done” tarian leader Kim Jong Un. and undermine the Obama-era Sure, there still were digs. “I don’t make money from for Black Americans “with the “His buddy, who’s a thug,” Affordable Care Act proved “We can’t lock ourselves up China, you do. I don’t make exception of Abraham Lincoln, Biden said, arguing that to be a liability, as Biden in a basement like Joe does,” Trump’s summit with Kim money from Ukraine, you do,” possible exception.” hammered his efforts to strip Trump said, reprising his “legitimized” a U.S. adversary Trump said. Biden, incredulous, called coverage from tens of millions spring and summer attacks on and potential nuclear threat. When the Democrat Trump a “racist” who “pours of Americans and his lack of a Biden staying at his residence sought to change the subject fuel on every single racist fi re.” Trump defended his “dif- plan to cover those with preex- rather than campaigning in- ferent kind of relationship from the Republican presi- CLIMATE isting conditions. dent’s attacks on his family person amid the pandemic. ... a very good relationship” Trump and Biden faced off with Kim, prompting Biden Biden, by contrast, fended Biden smirked, laughed and to issues more relatable to on global climate change in off Trump’s attack that his shook his head. He mocked to retort that “we had a good voters, Trump fi red back plan to reinforce the Obama- Trump for once suggesting with the charge that Biden’s the fi rst extensive discussion relationship with Hitler before era law with a “public option” bleach helped kill coronavirus. canned line refl ected him be- of the issue in a presidential he, in fact, invaded the rest of amounted to a step toward The two men had a lengthy ing “just a typical politician,” debate in 20 years. Europe.” mockingly adding, “Come on, Joe, you can do better.” Both candidates struggled to explain why they weren’t able to accomplish more while in offi ce, falling to the familiar tactic of blaming Congress for its inaction. A larger question may be whether voters are moved at all, especially those unde- cided voters whom both can- didates are trying to win over, especially given that more than 47 million Americans have already cast ballots. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO THIS FALL? 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