The Debate's Biggest Insults

'No, you're a number two'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 29, 2020 9:46 PM CDT
Updated Sep 30, 2020 6:50 AM CDT
The Debate's Biggest Insults
President Trump and Joe Biden participate in the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

While the biggest insult Tuesday night may have been to the art of civil debate, plenty of other insults flew back and forth between President Trump and Joe Biden during the bad-tempered debate in Cleveland. Politico reports that at one point, Biden, frustrated by Trump's interruptions, told the president: "Will you shut up, man?" More:

  • Biden, after Trump misrepresented his position on health care: "Everything he’s saying so far is simply a lie. Everyone knows he’s a liar … do you have any idea what this clown is doing?" He later repeated the insult, saying, "It’s hard to get any word in with this clown—excuse me, this person.”
  • Trump, after Biden said he needs to get "smarter" about COVID: "You graduated either the lowest or almost the lowest in your class. Don’t ever use the word smart with me ...because you know what? There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
  • Biden, during a clash on releasing tax returns: "You are the worst president America has ever had."
  • Trump, after Biden criticized his response to the pandemic: "I'll tell you Joe, you could never have done the job that we did. You don’t have it in your blood." During the same exchange, Biden told Trump to "get out of your bunker and get out of the sand trap."
  • Biden, after Trump said the "suburbs would be gone" under a Biden administration: "You wouldn't know a suburb unless you took a wrong turn."
  • Trump, as Biden listed points on the economy: "No, you're a number two."
(More Election 2020 stories.)

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