CNN panel shocked following 'sh** show' debate: 'Hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck'

Updated ·3 min read

Following the chaotic first debate between Joe Biden and President Trump, a CNN panel struggled to find the words to describe what they’d just witnessed. Almost from the very beginning, Biden and Trump repeatedly interrupted each other and talked over one another, which caused moderator Chris Wallace, of Fox News, to step in, which led to three people trying to talk over each other.

“That was a hot mess inside a dumpster fire inside a train wreck. That was the worst debate I have ever seen,” Jake Tapper said. “In fact, it wasn’t even a debate, it was a disgrace.” Tapper later added, “The American people lost tonight, because that was horrific.”

Dana Bash wasn’t quite as eloquent as Tapper.

“You used some high-minded language,” Bash said to Tapper. “I’m just going to say it like it is, that was a sh** show. And, you know, we’re on cable, we can say that. Apologies for being a little bit crude, but that is really the phrase that I’m getting from people on both sides of the aisle on text, and it’s the only phrase that I can think of to really describe it.”

One memorable moment from the debate came when Wallace asked Trump if he’d be willing to condemn white supremacists and militia groups, and tell them to stand down and not add to the violence like what happened in Kenosha, Wis., and Portland, Ore. Trump said he was willing, but failed to do so.

“I’m willing to do anything,” Trump said. “I want to see peace.” “Then do it, sir,” Wallace pushed. “Say it,” Biden added. “You wanna call ’em — what do you want to call ’em? Give me a name,” Trump responded. Wallace told Trump to name white supremacists, while Biden specified the violent right-wing white supremacist group Proud Boys, which Trump did, but he didn’t condemn them.

“Proud Boys,” Trump said, “stand back and stand by.”

Proud Boys celebrated the shoutout online, and took it as a rallying cry and a call to arms. This was the only moment that mattered to CNN’s Van Jones.

“The commander in chief refused to condemn white supremacy on the global stage, in front of my children, in front of everybody’s families. And he was given the opportunity multiple times to condemn white supremacy,” Jones said. “And he gave a wink and a nod to a racist, Nazi, murderous organization that is now celebrating online, that is now saying, ‘We have a go-ahead.’ Look at what the Proud Boys are doing right now online because the president of the United States refused to condemn white supremacy. That’s the only thing that happened tonight.”

Former Republican Sen. Rick Santorum saw things differently and claimed Wallace was at fault for asking the question.

“He was asking the president to do something that he knows the president doesn’t like to do. Which is say something bad about people who support him, right?” When pressed who it is Trump doesn’t want to say anything bad about because they support him, and if it was white supremacists, Santorum conceded, “Yeah, the white supremacists.”

For more on the debate check out Yahoo News.

Watch Kamala Harris call Trump’s message to a white supremacist group ‘A dog whistle through a bullhorn’:

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

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