Things got ugly for Biden from the moment he stepped onto the CNN studio stage and headed to the lectern with unsteady steps and a stiff posture. It got worse when he answered the first question with slurred words and a hoarse voice (because he had a cold, his campaign would later say in an official statement), conveying the exact opposite impression from the one he had wanted to give to the Americans watching. The first few seconds were enough to confirm the Democrats’ worst fears and raise serious questions about the judgment of the staff that had been working with the president in recent days to prepare him for a clash that was considered crucial.

Instead of strength, or at least competence and a reasonable level of energy, Biden only managed to project the feebleness of a well-meaning old man, easily outwitted by the bully opposite him, who seemed to be firing on all cylinders.

Trump, who at times looked surprised by his own good fortune, resorted to his familiar repertoire, a selection of old tropes featuring many of the themes he usually harps on, from the encroaching hordes of criminals overrunning the border, supposedly taking away jobs and putting young........

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