Biden falters in high-stakes debate, Trump spews falsehoods

Moderator Dana Bash asked Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, to address voter concerns about their age.

"First of all, I spent half my career being criticized for being the youngest person in politics," Biden said. "I was the second youngest person ever elected to the United States Senate. And now I'm the oldest. This guy's three years younger and a lot less competent."

Biden said voters should look at his record and what his administration's accomplished.

Trump pointed to the "cognitive test" he's taken. In 2018, he took the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a test designed to detect early signs of memory loss and other mild cognitive impairment.

"He took none," Trump said of Biden. "I'd like to see him take one, just one, a really easy one. Like go through the first five questions, he couldn't do it."

Biden had a poor start to this debate, and if he ends up being viewed as the "loser" tonight, he'd be just the latest incumbent president to go through this. Incumbent presidents like Ronald Reagan in 1984, George W. Bush in 2004, Barack Obama in 2012 and Trump in 2020 all lost 2 to 3 points in the polls after their first debate.

Reagan, the last president to face real questions about his age -- he was 73 in 1984 -- had a meandering performance that prompted questions about whether he had gotten too old for the job. Reagan shot back in the second debate against Democratic nominee Walter Mondale, who was in his mid-50s, with the famous line: "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." Reagan, however, also had a roaring economy, which helped him win a landslide reelection victory.

-Geoffrey Skelley, 538

An hour in and here is the Biden campaign spin on what so far has been a rocky performance by the president.

Biden has a cold (but tested negative for COVID-19), the campaign confirms. They haven't offered any explanation for why they didn't disclose this sooner.

Overall, the campaign says they are feeling fine. They agree it was a slow start but say he's found his groove.

-ABC News' Mary Bruce and Molly Nagle

Trump has made several comments about going after his political opponents and retribution. Asked to clarify what he meant, Trump replied, "Well, I said my retribution is going to be success."

He also contended that he's done nothing wrong despite his numerous criminal and civil cases.

Biden fired back contending that Trump's claims that he has the right to seek retribution is wrong. He then went after Trump over his various scandals.

"The crimes you are still charged with and think of all the civil penalties you have, how many billions of dollars ... and civil penalties? For molesting a woman in public for doing a whole range of things ... having sex with a porn star ... while your wife was pregnant? What would you be talking about? You have the morals of an alley cat," Biden said.