Tony Dejak, The Associated PressProtesters march through the streets near the debate hall in Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, the night of the first presidential debate between Republican candidate President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Tony Dejak, The Associated PressA Trump supporter and a protester argue near the debate hall in Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, the night of the first presidential debate between Republican candidate President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk to Marine One to depart from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on the way to the first presidential debate against Democratic candidate former Vice President Joe Biden on Sept. 29, 2020.
Andrew Harnik, The Associated PressDemocratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden arrives at Cleveland Airport for the first presidential debate against President Donald Trump on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020.
Morry Gash-Pool, Getty ImagesModerator Chris Wallace of Fox News gestures toward President Donald Trump and former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden during the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Olivier Douliery, AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump listens as he debates Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Mario Tama, Getty ImagesPatrons watch a broadcast of the first debate between Republican President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden with socially distanced outdoor seating at a restaurant in West Hollywood, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2020. The debate was held in Cleveland as the first of three debates scheduled.
Jim Watson, AFP via Getty ImagesDemocratic Presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during the first presidential debate at the Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Oliver Doulier, AFP via Getty ImagesDemocratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, left, engages with President Donald Trump during a debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Morry Gash-Pool, Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump and former Vice President and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden speak during the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020. This is the first of three planned debates between the two candidates in the lead up to the election on Nov. 3.
Olivier Douliery, Getty ImagesDebate moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace directs the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Saul Loeb, AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump speaks during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Scott Olson, Getty ImagesDemocratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden participates in the first presidential debate against President Donald Trump at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Patrick Semansky, The Associated PressModerator Chris Wallace of Fox News, center, attempts to take control of an exchange between candidates during the first presidential debate as President Donald Trump, left, and Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden, right, talk over one another at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020,
Lynsey Weatherspoon, The New York Times)Viewers sit in their vehicles during a watch party for the first presidential debate at Impact Church in Atlanta on Sept. 29, 2020.
Jim Watson, AFP via Getty ImagesPresident Donald Trump and Democratic Presidential candidate and former US Vice President Joe Biden exchange arguments during the first presidential debate at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Julio Cortez, The Associated PressPresident Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walks off stage at the end of the first presidential debate at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020.
Morry Gash-Pool, Getty ImagesFirst lady Melania Trump stands with President Donald Trump as he looks at Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden as he is hugged by his wife Jill Biden at the end of the first presidential debate at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland on Sept. 29, 2020.
Tony Dejak, The Associated Press
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Protesters march through the streets near the debate hall in Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, the night of the first presidential debate between Republican candidate President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden.
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By Katie Rausch | krausch@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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CLEVELAND — It started out civil enough, with President Donald Trump striding deliberately to his lectern, and Democrat Joe Biden nodding to his opponent and offering, “How you doing, man?”
Within 15 minutes, the interruptions and talking over one another at Tuesday’s presidential debate had deteriorated to the point that Biden blurted out, “Will you shut up, man?”
There were no handshakes to start the first presidential debate of the 2020 general election. The traditional nicety was one of several formalities abandoned because of the ongoing pandemic.
The 90-minute faceoff played out in a makeshift debate hall with a crowd of under 100 people due to coronavirus safety restrictions, in an atrium that previously was set up for use as a hospital for COVID-19 patients.
Click here to read the full story from the first presidential debate of 2020.