Here we go again.
Four years after then-President Donald Trump clashed with Joe Biden on the debate stage, Americans will get to see them go at it again beginning Thursday night.
Before you settle in for the first of two forums between the presumptive Republican and Democratic nominees, here’s a look back at the most memorable moments from their 2020 showdowns.
Even by Trump’s standard of freewheeling politics, the first debate with Biden on Sept. 29, 2020, was memorable.
The 45th president opted for a confrontational tack, running roughshod over moderator Chris Wallace and frequently talking over his Democratic rival.
During one memorable exchange, Biden chastised Trump for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A lot more are going to die unless he gets a lot smarter, a lot quicker –” the future president began.
“Did you just use the word ‘smart?’ Don’t ever use the word smart with me,” Trump shot back.
“There’s nothing smart about you, Joe.”
Wallace, then of Fox News and now of CNN, publicly groused about Trump’s conduct, complaining he felt like he had “baked this beautiful, delicious cake and then, frankly, the president put his foot in it.”
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, then an ally of Trump who helped him prep for the debate, assessed afterward that the Republican was “too hot,” and other supporters of the president felt the same way.
“He’s going on — everything he says is a lie,” the 78-year-old explained himself in an interview with the Washington Examiner published this week. “So I would call him [out], because calling him out two minutes later is very tough because, you know, it’s a lie, it’s a lie, everything is a lie. I’ve never seen anything like it. So when I would interrupt, it looked like — I agree, though. The second debate I handled it much differently and got very good marks.”
Perhaps the most controversial moment of the first debate came after Wallace took note of how Trump had badgered Biden over Antifa riots and asked if Trump would denounce white supremacy.
“He’s going on — everything he says is a lie,” the 78-year-old explained himself in an interview with the Washington Examiner published this week. “So I would call him [out], because calling him out two minutes later is very tough because, you know, it’s a lie, it’s a lie, everything is a lie. I’ve never seen anything like it. So when I would interrupt, it looked like — I agree, though. The second debate I handled it much differently and got very good marks.”
Trump responded that “almost everything I see is from the left wing, not from the right wing,” but said “sure,” he would condemn right-wing violence.
“Then do it,” piped up Biden, who name-dropped the Proud Boys as an example of a right-wing group.
“Proud Boys: stand back and stand by,” Trump said hurriedly before adding: “But I’ll tell you what, I’ll tell you what, somebody’s got to do something about Antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem.”
Many liberal commentators took the remark as direct orders from the president to the group, which would later become notorious for its members’ role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
In that same debate, Trump also laid the groundwork for his rejection of the election result that would lead to his indictment last year.
“I’m urging my supporters to go into the polls and watch very carefully because that’s what has to happen,” he said. “If it’s a fair election, I am 100% on board. If I see tens of thousands of ballots being manipulated, I can’t go along with that.”
Biden grew visibly exasperated with Trump during the first debate, at one point asking: “Will you shut up, man?” as the Republican repeatedly interrupted him.