Written by Afreen Shanavas, a grade 11 student

You know that the debate is rough when Americans yelled: Where the hell is the mute button?

Believe me, Chris Wallace (the moderator of the debate) wished there were one.

The first presidential debate between US President Donald Trump and Joe Biden plunged into chaos as Trump incessantly interjected Joe Biden and Chris Wallace.

No Democrat or Republican or Independent or moderate apparently took away anything from the debate.

‘Will you shut up, man?’ Biden said at one point, seemingly exasperated at the interruptions.

Trump berated Biden over his academic credentials by calling him “the lowest or almost the lowest in your class”.

Biden, too, took a dig at Trump with one of his gaffes when he suggested the possibility of injecting disinfectants into COVID patients with: And by the way, you can inject some bleach into your arm, that would take care of it.

The debate did nothing to garner votes or imbibe hopes in people.

All it did was draw flak and lambaste from critics worldwide.

Chris had a hard time wrangling with the President and even his desperate plea to stop Trump sparked acrimony when Biden responded with: He doesn’t know how to do that.

Biden did a better job of garnering voters by talking directly to them and paying no heed to Trump’s avalanche of lies and false claims.

One of the most atrocious moments was when the President was asked to condemn white supremacists.

His response was: Proud Boys, stand back and stand by, which was interpreted as a call to action by the hostile group who are waiting for an excuse to engage in violence.

The grotesque spectacle forged ahead without commercials and Americans wished they had a break from the lull of constant, untiring heckle.

With all that said, the real losers are the voters, who clearly wasn’t informed about the integrity and propriety of the Presidential candidates.

But Trump’s tirade of abuse and vitriol did repel key undecided voters. Well done, Trump. Only if you had borne the mantle of presidency rather than the mien of a thug.

No one was as exhilarated as Chris Wallace when he euphorically concluded the debate.

And Trump? He was still talking.