Fireworks punctuate first Presidential Debate

Candidates clash on everything from the pandemic to race relations - NBC's Alice Barr reports

CLEVELAN, Ohio (KYMA, KECY/NBC News) - It was, at times, a free-for-all inside the debate hall at Cleveland's Case Western Reserve University. Neither candidate held back their attacks.

There was no handshake before the first Presidential Debate in COVID times, instead the candidates dove straight into hand-to-hand combat.

Biden: "I'm not here to call out his lies. Everybody knows he's a liar."
Trump: "Joe, you're the liar."
Biden: "I want to make sure."
Trump: "You graduated last in your class - not first in your class."
Biden:- (laughs ) "I want to make sure"
Chris Wallace: "Mr. President can you let him finish, sir?"
Biden: "He doesn't know how to do that."

Joe Biden hammered President Trump for his handling of the pandemic.

"He panicked or he just looked at the stock market - one of the two - because guess what - a lot of people died and a lot more are gonna die unless he gets a lot smarter." said Biden.

Then they squared off over the economy.

"This guy will close down the whole country. and destroy our country. Our country is coming back incredibly well - setting records as it does it. … we don't need somebody coming in and saying shut it down." claimed Trump.

"We handed him a booming economy - he blew it." countered Biden.

Taking on race in America led to another heated exchange over the violence seen in a number of cities.

"This is a president who has used everything - as a dog whistle to try to generate racist hatred - racist division." said Biden.

"The people of this country want and demand - law and order and you're afraid to even say it." said Trump.

The candidates also clashed over the new Supreme Court nominee.

"We won the election and we have the right to do it." claimed the President.

"The thing that SHOULD happen is we should wait - we should wait and see what outcome of this election is." Biden insisted.

The President didn't hold back when it came to hitting is opponent with personal attacks.

"The mayor of Moscow's wife gave your son 3 and a half million dollars- what did he do to deserve it.?"

"This is not about MY family or HIS family - it's your family - the American people..." began Biden.

The President interrupted..

"Three and half million..." he said

"That's not true - he doesn't want to talk about what YOU need." said Biden.

Two very different approaches from two men fighting to lead this county out of crisis in very different ways.

The next Presidential Debate will be Thursday, October 15, in Miami.

The one and only Vice Presidential Debate will be held next Wednesday in Salt Lake City.