In a presidential debate marked more by interruptions and crosstalk than specific memorable moments, a few exceptional exchanges did stand out. These include Democratic nominee Joe Biden calling out President Trump for his interruptions by telling him to “shut up,” and the president’s failure to clearly condemn white supremacists when asked to do so.
One moment that particularly caught the attention of folks following the debate on Twitter, however, concerned the two candidates’ attitudes toward the military and their families.
RELATED STORIES
Nobody was surprised that Joe Biden would bring up comments attributed to the president in a recent, explosive story from *The Atlantic*.
In the article , unnamed sources close to the president attest that the commander-in-chief has disparaged U.S. military service members, calling them “losers” and “suckers.” He also questioned why they would volunteer for military service, and requested that wounded veterans not be allowed to participate in parades.
While the White House pushed back on the article, pointing to things like increased military spending and raising troops’ pay, the accusations have stuck largely due to the president’s own comments towards veterans like Sen. John McCain and former President George H.W. Bush.
Biden wanted to make his thoughts on the article known during the debate.
“The way you talk about the military, the way you talk about them being ‘losers’ and ‘suckers,'” Biden said, “My son was in Iraq. He spent a year there. He spent a year there. He got the Bronze Star. He got the Conspicuous Service Medal. He was not a loser. He was a patriot and the people left behind there were heroes.”
“Really? Are you talking about Hunter?” the president asked in reply.
“I’m talking about my son, Beau Biden,” Biden said.
“I don’t know Beau. I know Hunter,” Trump replied.
The commander-in-chief’s casual dismissal of Beau Biden did not go over well with the Twitter crowd.
“The lowest bar for decency ANY President should be able to meet is thanking someone for their fallen son’s service, which should transcend party loyalty,” tweeted one person. “When [Trump] disrespected Beau Biden, I hope Veterans all over America sat up and took notice. That was unforgivable.”
“I can’t see a single soldier supporting Trump after dishonoring Beau Biden’s service,” tweeted another.
“The President’s lack of humanity in this discussion of Beau Biden is disgusting and dishonorable,” another person tweeted .
Rather than slowing that point of the debate down, Trump forged ahead with his attack on Hunter Biden.
“Hunter got thrown out of the military… He was dishonorably discharged,” Trump continued, falsely.
“That’s not true,” Biden said. Hunter Biden received an administrative discharge from the Navy Reserve in 2014 following a failed drug test, USA Today reported.
Biden defended Hunter, noting that addiction is a common problem in America. “My son, like a lot of people you know at home, had a drug problem,” Biden said. “He’s overtaken it. He’s fixed it. He’s worked on it, and I’m proud of him. I’m proud of my son.”
And indeed, Trump’s continued attack on Hunter Biden’s drug use stirred up Twitter even further.
“As a veteran I am disgusted about Trump attacking Hunter Biden for his battle with addiction,” tweeted one person. “People who fight addiction are not irredeemable, to suggest otherwise when his own brother succumbed to addiction shows that this man has no empathy.”
“So many battle addiction. They are our parents, children, siblings, & friends. We who love someone who struggles with it know it doesn’t define them,” wrote another. “Thank you @JoeBiden for standing up for your son, Hunter, & for telling him that you love him and are proud of him. I understand.”
And as many pointed out, if Trump hoped his remarks would get a rise out of Biden, the former VP didn’t take the bait.
“Say what [you] want about Joe Biden, but even when Trump continually attacked his son Hunter and disrespected his late son Beau, Biden never once attacked Trump’s family. That’s what a decent person does and as we all know Trump isn’t a decent person,” one person tweeted .
“I’ve been thinking about Beau Biden since last night,” tweeted another person. “How his father didn’t cross over to sucker punch Trump, after [he] spoke ill of Beau, a man who served his country in all types of ways before he died, is remarkable. And presidential.”
