1st presidential debate between Trump and Biden spirals into chaotic clash

Highlights from the first presidential debate held in Cleveland.

ByLibby Cathey, Lauren Lantry, and Matt Zarrell
Last Updated: January 6, 2022, 3:01 PM EST

President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee for president Joe Biden faced off from a social distance in the first presidential debate of 2020 in Cleveland, just five weeks out from Election Day.

The first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic came on the heels of bombshell reporting from The New York Times on two decades of Trump's tax records, ahead of a contentious Supreme Court confirmation process in the Senate and as the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll shows Biden maintains a 10-point edge among both registered and likely voters.

The coronavirus pandemic's impact on the race was also on display as the two candidates didn't partake in a handshake, customary at the top of such events. The size of the audience was also limited and everyone attending the debate had to undergo COVID-19 testing and follow other public health protocols.

The debate’s moderator, Chris Wallace of "Fox News Sunday," selected six topics for Tuesday with each segment expected to get approximately 15 minutes: Trump's and Biden's records, the Supreme Court, COVID-19, the economy, race and violence in U.S. cities, and the integrity of the election -- the final topic coming as Trump over the weekend wouldn’t commit to a peaceful transfer of power.

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Here's how the debate unfolded. All times Eastern.
Sep 29, 2020, 7:50 PM EDT

The Breakdown: College students hold bipartisan debate watch party 

ABC's News Live's new political show, "Your Voice Your Vote: The Breakdown," checked in with younger voters ahead of the debate -- a college Republican and a college Democrat at the University of Miami -- who are hosting a bipartisan watch party on what issues are important to them. 

"What I think young voters really care about is making our American democracy a more just and equitable one for all," said Rachel Stempler, president of University of Miami Young and College Democrats.

"I think the most important issues for voters here in South Florida, are the detrimental effects of COVID shutdowns and the looming threat of socialist policies coming from the west. I hope to see these issues addressed at the debate," said Andrew Heffler of the University of Miami College Republicans.

"Your Voice Your Vote: The Breakdown" with ABC News Live Update's Diane Macedo and ABC News Senior National Correspondent Terry Moran airs weekdays at 3 p.m. ET and re-airs at 5 p.m., 8 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. ET on ABC News Live.

Sep 29, 2020, 6:37 PM EDT

Biden adviser says expect focus to be on “kitchen table issues”

In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper Tuesday evening, Biden senior adviser Symone Sanders said that the former vice president's focus in the debate will be on "kitchen table issues."

"Look, we expect that the American people actually don't want to hear President Trump attack Vice President Biden and his family," Sanders said. "So Joe Biden is going to speak directly to those folks at home tonight about the kitchen table issues that they care most about. And what President Trump decides to do with his time, that's on him."

Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Cleveland, Sept. 29, 2020, for the first presidential debate against President Donald Trump.
Andrew Harnik/AP

When asked how Biden is going to deal with Trump possibly attacking the Biden's son Hunter, she said, "This is not about the vice president's son. This is about Joe Biden and Donald Trump."

Sanders went on to downplay the importance of the debate 35 days out from Election Day, saying that Tuesday's event isn't going to "fundamentally change the course of this race."

MORE: In Pennsylvania, advantage Biden with a big boost from women: POLL

"Joe Biden is going to make the case that this is really about Scranton versus Park Avenue," she added. 

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson

Sep 29, 2020, 6:21 PM EDT

Trump vs. Biden on the issues: Climate change and the environment

Climate change -- a hot-button topic for years -- has taken on renewed significance ahead of the 2020 presidential election, with wildfires decimating the West, tropical storms pounding the Gulf Coast and year after year of record temperatures.

Both Trump and Biden largely toe their respective party lines when it comes to issues pertaining to environmental policy.

Throughout his presidency, Trump reversed many American commitments to mitigating climate change, most notably pulling out of the Paris Agreement, removing clean water protections and seeking to fast track environmental reviews of dozens of major energy and infrastructure projects, such as drilling, fuel pipelines and wind farms.

Biden has countered the Trump administration's policies by promising to protect the environment with a proposed a $5 trillion plan.

Here is where each candidate stands on the issues

Sep 29, 2020, 5:38 PM EDT

Biden brings three guests to the debate

Biden's campaign announced his three guests to the debate: Kristin Urquiza, Gurneé Green and James Evanoff Jr.

The public first met Urquiza when she shared her story at the Democratic National Convention. She lost her father to COVID-19, and declared his "only pre-existing condition was trusting Donald Trump -- and for that he paid with his life." Urquiza is an environmental advocate at Mighty Earth and co-founded the awareness campaign "Marked by COVID."

Green is a small business owner from Cleveland Heights who was also highlighted during the Democratic National Convention. He owns the Cleveland Heights fashion boutique Chemistry 11. In addition to being a small business owner, Green is a certified health care information technologies analyst and a mother of two.

Evanoff is a service technician in Cleveland. He has eight years of seniority with United Steel Workers and works at ArcelorMittal, which was recently acquired by Cleveland Cliffs.

ABC News' Molly Nagle and Mary Bruce