- An age issue led to a dispute over golf
- Trump attacked Biden’s game and then said: ‘Let’s not act like children’
The presidential debate was nearly derailed when two elderly candidates traded barbs over their golf games.
It came after President Joe Biden and then former President Donald Trump answered questions from CNN moderator Dana Bash about concerns voters had expressed about their ages, on a night when Biden gave ambiguous answers and Trump boasted about passing a cognitive test.
“Let’s not act like children,” Trump said, near the end of a debate that included a series of insults and accusations of lies.
“You’re a child,” Biden told him.
Trump boasted about his performance during physical exams at the White House.
“I took two cognitive tests, I aced both,” Trump, 78, said, hitting Biden, 81, for refusing. Biden smiled throughout the attack, as the comments became increasingly personal.
“I just won two club championships,” Trump boasted, referencing two victories at his own golf club that Biden mocked him for bragging about online.
‘He’s not even old. Two regular club championships,’ he said.
He was Making reference winning a pair of championships at his own Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, a club championship and a senior championship trophy.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded insults over golf at Atlanta debate
‘To do that, you have to be very smart, and you have to be able to hit the ball a long distance. And I do that. He doesn’t. He can’t hit a ball 50 yards.
Biden then appeared to mock Trump for misrepresenting his height and weight.
“You can see he’s 6’5″ and weighs only 230 pounds,” Biden replied, as Trump shook his head. “I’d love to have a driving contest with him.”
Biden said he lowered his golf handicap to 6, prompting a look of pain and disbelief on Trump’s face.
Biden defended his golf drive and said he would play against Trump if he agreed to carry his own bag
“He can’t hit a ball 50 yards,” Trump said, mocking Biden’s golf game
Trump and Biden exchanged criticism over golf
“I would love to play golf with you if you bring your own bag. Do you think you can do it?” Biden asked.
“Let’s not act like children,” Trump said.
“You’re a kid,” Biden said, delivering the last word.
Long after the debate ended, golf was still on Trump’s mind. He posted a video of himself hitting a long drive.
Trump had announced the golf attack online before the debate, giving Biden’s team time to prepare.
Biden had gotten under her skin with an attack in March after Trump… Announced his golf victories at his private club.
“Congratulations, Donald. Quite an achievement,” Biden wrote on X.
The country club clash came in an election where voters are expressing concern about Biden’s age and in a debate where Biden had an obligation to demonstrate vigor.
Instead, some top Democratic operatives panicked after Biden gave rambling answers at the start of the debate and sometimes lost his train of thought and looked down during Trump’s answers.
