Trump dials back his anger, but his debate performance doesn't change the facts
Incessant interrupting was replaced by eye rolling and making faces. When Trump got agitated, he made his characteristic accordion player gesture with his hands. As the President rattled off another falsehood, Biden stood with his eyes closed as if in silent prayer. The former vice president, however, managed to avoid his opponent's traps -- though was left to clean up an answer about transitioning away from fossil fuels that Trump's team will pound until Election Day in just 11 days.
Thanks to Trump's tempered performance and some authoritative moderating by NBC's Kristen Welker, Americans did get to hear more of the contrast between the President and his challenger on character, values and policies on immigration, climate change, racial healing, the economy and criminal justice to inform their choice in a fateful election.
Trump might have modulated his outbursts, but he didn't turn down the gusher of untruths -- especially when he denied a "dark winter" was looming. In reality, the pandemic is again raging with nearly 2,000 new deaths reported in the last two days alone in a roll of tragedy that has now seen 223,000 Americans die.
The first words out of Trump's mouth were misinformation -- he said 2 million people had been predicted to perish in the US -- but that figure was only true if the government or the citizenry made zero attempts to stop the virus. "It will go away, and as I say, we're rounding the turn, we're rounding the corner, it's going away," Trump said, his assurances and calls for blanket state openings as fantastically out of touch with the reality of the situation as ever.
Biden seized on arrival of the feared fall surge in infections to promise to bring America back, saying, "Folks, I will take care of this. I will end this."
Looking into the camera at millions of viewers who have been stuck at home for months, he said: "Anybody that is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as President of the United States of America."
The exchange underscored that an election unfolding in the worst domestic crisis since World War II and the deepest public health emergency since World War I is far more likely to be decided by Trump's handling of the sickness and consequent economic blight of the last nine months than a debate fought to a draw when more than 40 million people have already voted.
'Is it too late? It could be'
If Trump pulls off one of the great political comebacks on November 3, his restrained showing on Thursday night might be one reason why.
But strategically, it also seems a leap to think his improved performance and Biden's more coherent effort when he wasn't talked over every two seconds will measurably change the shape of a race. The Democrat is leading in most battlegrounds and Trump is banking on a massive base turnout. But at least the President gave his campaign team something to work with after he took their counsel to tone down the antics that thrill his supporters but alienate many other voters.
"Finally," a top Republican adviser told CNN's Jeff Zeleny. "Is it too late? It could be," another adviser said, but added that the President's performance would inject optimism into the GOP ranks that had been missing for weeks.