A divided nation tuned in this week to see President Donald Trump debate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. An estimated 100 million potential voters—a record breaking audience, in comparison to any previous U.S. presidential debate—watched the debate via television networks, streaming, and social media outlets.
Many of Trump’s supporters have now taken a bolder approach when it comes to racial issues, some even resorting to violence.
The moderator, Chris Wallace of Fox News, lost control of the debate as Trump and Biden talked over each other, raising their voices and creating a tense, confrontational atmosphere. Decorum, cordiality, and humanity were missing, further showcasing the deep divisions in this election year.
The debate was so chaotic that the Commission on Presidential Debates has proposed making changes for the two remaining debates, scheduled for October 15 and 22, including allowing the moderator to turn off the candidates’ microphones. Trump’s campaign opposes any changes, but now the President’s very ability to participate could be affected by his bout with COVID-19.
Besides his constant talking over Biden’s responses, Trump set a new low with his message to the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.” The Southern Poverty Law Center has described the Proud Boys as an extremist, white nationalist group, the very type of group that Trump has repeatedly refused to take a stand against.
Ultimately, this first presidential debate reinforced the fact that we have become a nation divided by racism and hate.
In a recently released report, the Pew Research Center determined that the universe of 2018 eligible voters, as defined by race/ethnicity, are broken down as follows: 67 percent white, 13 percent Latinx, 13 percent Black, 4 percent Asian, and 3 percent “other.”
The white vote continues to be dominant, yet minority voters are essential for any candidate to win the presidency. Therefore, a message of healing and unity is necessary in order to promote peace during these extremely difficult times.
Biden’s working-class background and the personal relationships he’s forged with the Black community in Pennsylvania make him more well-suited to the task of unifying voters. However, he has been criticized for not reaching out to Latinx and Asian voters.
Biden has been a strong advocate of denouncing violence and white nationalism. Biden attributes the 2017 murder of a counter-protester in Charlottesville, Virginia, to Trump’s hate rhetoric. Trump continues to appeal to his base through conspiracy theories and race-baiting.
President Trump sharpened his race-baiting rhetoric and skills in New York when he took out a full-page ad calling for “The Exonerated Five,” formerly known as the Central Park Five, to receive the death penalty, significantly influencing public opinion on the case. Through this, Trump learned that dividing humans by race can work to his advantage.
Trump continues to take a sensational and irresponsible approach when it comes to racial issues. During the protests in Minneapolis following the killing of George Floyd, Trump responded by warning protesters across the nation, via his preferred medium of Twitter, that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts.”
Many of Trump’s supporters have now taken a bolder approach when it comes to racial issues, some even resorting to violence. Trump has portrayed himself as a “law and order” President and is using the old strategy of divide and conquer. He is stoking fears among suburban whites by blaming Democrats for higher rates of violence in major cities, a statistic that only reflects the naturally higher crime rates in large urban areas, which tend to be more liberal places.
Biden tried to provide a message during the debate that we need a President who is a unifier and a healer of the American people. But, Trump’s near-constant interruptions aside, Biden still came up short in making a stronger case about his abilities to unite our nation.
What was made clear during is that our nation is deeply divided; however, we can still dream that a leader will emerge to unite and heal our country.