Editor's note: Dr. John Gong is a professor at the University of International Business and Economics and a research fellow at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

Never in American history has a presidential election debate sunk to this level. Just a few minutes into the session, the Democratic candidate Joe Biden resorted to "shut up" to hold President Donald Trump at bay for his constant interruption and yelling.

Trump's nasty belligerent bullying got so bad that moderator Chris Wallace had to interject to remind him of the debate rules he had signed on before getting into this. Then Wallace himself became Trump's debate opponent with a few angry exchanges for a while.

At a critical moment in American history – a time when 200,000 people have died in a pandemic still raging and millions of Americans are having difficulties in bringing food to the table and fighting evictions – the nation is looking for a leader who can unite the country and rally the people to turn things around.

Yet in this debate, they get a brawl at the level of a kindergarten playground. The worst side of partisan politics was on full display in front of hundreds of millions of voters. This presidential debate put America in disgrace, put "democracy" in disgrace, and put the word "debate" in disgrace.

But let's set aside the ugly facade of it and get down to the substance. Wallace asked many questions, for which some he got an answer but some a diatribe. The following is a list of the biggest getaways that I want to highlight.

"I don't want to pay taxes," Trump said loud and clear. He said it when dodging Wallace's question whether he paid $750 in taxes for the year he became the president, as the New York Times reported. He said that is not true, and that he has paid millions and millions of dollars in taxes.

When Wallace asked Trump if he will condemn white supremacists and racists alike, after a long meandering babbling, Trump still refused to give a definitive yes to explicitly condemn the ugly degenerates of American society. That is telling.

Finally there's a last question. Wallace asked whether they will call to their supporters to stay calm and not go onto the streets to protest, and whether they will not call victory prematurely until all the ballots are counted.

Again, after a long meandering babbling, Trump refused to give a definitive yes. Instead, he said he encourages his supporters to go to the polling station to watch as observers. More gravely, he sort of indicated that the election result should be clear on November 3. Biden said yes to the stay-calm issue, and declaring victory should wait until all the ballots are counted.

This presidential debate is not likely to change the minds of Trump's political base, nor that of the Biden's supporters. If anything, it strengthens their determination.

But for the 3 percent independents, swing voters and those who don't care about the election, my guess is that they will shake head in disgust and disbelief.

In essence, it is not going to change a thing. The polls are showing that Biden is currently leading in at least four of the six swing states, but pretty much neck-to-neck with Trump in Florida and North Carolina. If this trend is going to continue all the way till the election day, the end result will be a landslide if the election process runs its full course without being tampered or sabotaged.

But from Trump's answer to Wallace's last question, it is clear that America will enter tumultuous times on the scale of a constitutional crisis getting into November.

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