Joe Biden and Donald Trump didn’t shake each other’s hands at the start of Thursday’s debate, setting the tone for a long-awaited, feisty evening of sparring between the candidates. After the two entered the stage from their respective sides, Biden, 81, glared to his right at Trump, 78, who stared forward. Neither appeared to make an attempt at shaking their opponent’s hand. Thursday’s debate is unique in that it features no live audience, with CNN moderators given the ability to mute either candidate’s microphone should they begin speaking out of turn. Shortly after the icy entrance, CNN’s Jake Tapper threw Biden the night’s first question—a snoozer about inflation that asked the president what his message was to Americans who feel they’re worse off financially under his administration than they were under Trump. Biden struggled through his response, unable to clear his throat until his final few sentences. Trump, perhaps surprisingly, made no immediate mention of Biden’s speaking struggles in answering his first question of the night.
