During the second and last presidential debate until the election on Nov. 3, viewers had plenty of thoughts to air on social media from both sides. However, Democratic nominee Joe Biden checked his watch during the debate, sparking both laughter and outrage from Americans. Social media users, including Donald Trump Jr., immediately took to Twitter to comment on the former vice president’s actions.
Trump Jr. wrote on Twitter, “If you’re checking your watch in a debate you’re getting pummeled. Joe just wanted out of there. He’s tired. If Joe doesn’t have the energy to go 90 minutes how could he possibly run the country???”
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The debate that took place in Nashville, Tennessee, was the second and final debate before the election on Nov. 3. Those who tuned into the first one felt this one went a lot more smoothly, as there seemed to be more control over both candidates with muting of the mics once it was not their turn to speak. The debate was moderated by NBC White House Correspondent Kristen Welker and was praised by both Republicans and Democrats for how she kept everything running smoothly.
While things did seemingly run better than the last, there were still lots of opinions supporting and bashing both sides. While several followed Trump Jr. in bashing Biden for checking his watch, there were plenty of those who came to his defense. On top of that, people created theories as to why he checked it and questioned it was a regular watch or a digital or even an Apple watch. Pictures from that evening, specifically when Biden was hugging his wife Jill Biden, showed that the watch he was wearing was in fact just a regular watch.
Below are a number of reactions both supporting and shaming Biden.
Trump Jr. had his thoughts and several seemed to follow along. A number of Americans felt that Biden was just ready to go home because he was tired.
If you’re checking your watch in a debate you’re getting pummeled. Joe was just wanted out of there. He’s tired.
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 23, 2020
If Joe doesn’t have the energy to go 90 minutes how could he possibly run the country??? pic.twitter.com/wSKK9l7aT3
Joe Biden checks his watch.
— America Rising (@AmericaRising) October 23, 2020
Time to head back to the basement. #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/sKxBnaQ8nU
The jokes continued about it being past his bedtime. Despite it being a little late, others said it was toward the end of the debate and that it shouldn’t matter if he looks at his watch.
It was past his bed time.
— TheDonald.win (@thedonalddotwin) October 23, 2020
He was counting the minutes to when he can go home, take his bath, put his jammies on and go nighty night.
— Scott Spencer (@suspencer50) October 23, 2020
Others created theories of what he could possibly be looking at. Debates sparked on whether he was looking at a normal watch, a digital watch or even an Apple watch.
— Count – TheCount.com ™ (@THECOUNTnews) October 23, 2020
Would be interesting to see if it was an Apple Watch. If he was checking it often, could have been text messages.
— David Chavez (@WataStrangeLife) October 23, 2020
The speculation continued. Others joked about his medicine wearing off.
No man checks their watch like that to see the time, there is something else he is doing there.
— Excalibur (@AnthonyCassand2) October 23, 2020
His meds wore off ten minutes ago!! pic.twitter.com/voh649B9mL
— Alan Dotts (@alandotts) October 23, 2020
While several were quick to assume or criticize Biden, there were plenty of others who defended him. One person who even admitted they are a Donald Trump supporter said that it was silly he was being bashed because the moderator had mentioned the debate was coming to an end.
This is a stupid story. The moderator mentioned that time was almost up then he immediately glanced at his watch. I’m pro Trump but this is stupid.
— Josh Drake (@joshdrake427) October 23, 2020
He was checking to see how much more of this guys’ bullshit he was going to have to listen to
— Dwight K Trump (@MAchomlishments) October 23, 2020
While several criticized the Democratic nominee, others bashed Trump and Trump Jr. while defending Biden. In support of Biden, they agreed they would check their watches too.
DJT is exhausting, I would’ve been checking my watch every 30 seconds. Also, America is exhausted from the Chaos President and are voting accordingly.
— RAY🌞 (@R05812243) October 23, 2020
Bush checked his watch during a town hall while voters were asking questions, otherwise it wouldn’t have mattered. and it was compounded by things like not knowing what a grocery scanner was.
— Lauren (@sequinpants) October 23, 2020
One user accused Trump of speaking too long again. After the first debate, Trump received a lot of backlash for talking over Biden and speaking when he shouldn’t have.
When someone is that exhausting as a person and you have to stand there listening to him lie and slander you- it’s worse. I would’ve checked my watch, too. Plus, Trump was over speaking his time, AGAIN so I’m sure that maybe had something to do with it.
— Samantha (@__doll_face) October 23, 2020
it was nothing like that Bush moment. like you said, Bush was bored with the questions. Biden just checked the time immediately after the moderator mentioned the time.
— Bob Sacamano (@BobSachemano) October 23, 2020
In defense of Biden, one person said Democrats have been checking their watches for four years. There were plenty more tweets in support of this as well.
A lot of us have been looking at our watches for four years.
— T.C. McCourt (@TCRMcCourt) October 23, 2020
Kinda stupid. He wanted to know how much longer he had to hear trump lies.
— Ronnie (@Ronnie1070) October 23, 2020
