Editor's note: Bradley Blankenship is a Prague-based American journalist, political analyst and freelance reporter. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The first of four presidential debates happened on September 29 between U.S. President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Undecided voters were probably undeterred after the spectacle because the debate had pretty much no substance, no decorum and quickly devolved into a shouting match. 

It reflects the dire state of American society, which is deeply divided and buttressed by a political system in undeniable decline.

President Trump barreled his way through the performance, cutting off both his opponent and the moderator, Fox News' Chris Wallace. The only rule of the debate that was respected was by the audience that was not allowed to make noise, which made the president's behavior appear very distasteful, if not outright childish. 

In all of his past debates, he relied on feedback from his side of the audience to cheer on his jabs, but this time his attacks were only met with scoffs.
If his behavior wasn't dislikeable enough, he also unleashed a slew of easily identifiable falsehoods.

For example, he repeatedly said that he had a health care plan despite the fact that his administration has simply never presented a plan to both repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (referred to informally as "Obamacare"). 

As Biden noted, Trump's administration is in court right now to repeal this legislation that would strip millions of Americans of their health care coverage without having any replacement plan.

The COVID-19 pandemic and his administration's response was totally obfuscated by the president during the debate. 

Instead, he mocked Biden for wearing a mask and criticized what he may have hypothetically done during the crisis, despite the fact that the Obama administration, of which Biden served as vice president, successfully managed several infectious disease outbreaks. 

Regarding the vaccine, the president said that the country is only weeks away from a COVID-19 vaccine, which is a statement that top public health officials have contradicted.

Trump also claimed that Biden is against "law and order," saying that he supports defunding police forces and is beholden to "radical" leftists who are rioting in the streets – neither of which are true. 

In fact, "Sheriff of Portland" Mike Reese, who Trump claims endorsed him despite the city falling under the jurisdiction of Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, said on Twitter, "I have never supported Donald Trump and will never support him," adding that the president has only made his job more difficult.

Perhaps most importantly, he spread conspiracy theories about mail-in ballots, for example, that mail carriers are selling ballots, which is a total fabrication. This is bound to be a serious issue in November that could tear the country apart at its seams. While the lies from Trump's side were seemingly endless, some flits of truths slipped out that were telling. 

The most crucial one is that the president refused to disavow the white supremacists and right-wing radicals that openly support him and have committed acts of violence in his name.

"Stand back and stand by," Trump said to the Proud Boys, a far-right neo-fascist group, which is a bullhorn signal to white supremacists and radical right-wing organizations that they have his support.

"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… this is a left-wing problem," he soon pivoted after his statement about the Proud Boys.

Unsurprisingly, the radical right has taken notice. A meme spreading around Proud Boys groups the day after the debate features a stylized photo of Kyle Rittenhouse, the Kenosha shooter, along with the president's words. The Intercept also reported on disturbing social media posts by various radical groups after the debate.

Enrique Tarrio, the current chairman of the Proud Boys and a self-described "right-wing death squad general," said on Parler that he was "extremely PROUD of my President's performance tonight" while denying that the group is a white supremacist outfit.

Joe Biggs, another Proud Boys leader, made clear on his social media that the president's words were an invitation to attack Antifa, a disjointed group of anti-fascist activists across the country that have become more active in direct response to the Trump administration's stoking of radical right-wing violence.

There is really no way to compare Biden's poor moments to the president's, but there was one that stuck out. Biden joined Trump in disavowing Senator Bernie Sanders, a popular figure who almost beat him in the Democratic presidential primaries and is actively campaigning for him, which was a blunder that may hurt him amongst his base.

Nonetheless, the Biden team reported raising a one-hour record of 3.8 million U.S. dollars during and just after the debate. This record-setting fundraising is showing all signs of continuing for Democrats and Joe Biden.

Who won the debate, unfortunately, really doesn't matter; it served only to entrench the positions of the already-decided. The country is deeply divided and the president, who is the monopolistic wielder of this division, has made it impossible for any unifying message to emerge through the shouting. Instead, the real loser of this debate should be considered – the American people.

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