The first Trump-Biden debate
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I have any particular insight into the first debate between President Trump and Joe Biden that took place last night, other than to say that it was the worst presidential debate I've ever seen if we're grading it on optics for the candidates (which is the only thing that matters in these debates).
As far as substance is concerned, it was no better or worse than any other presidential debate from years past that you care to mention. By which I mean that these debates have the smallest amount of substance possible to begin with. They are never two statesmen actually debating the philosophical and empirical benefits of their policy positions, but rather two conmen spouting memorized talking points and saying whatever is necessary to look better than their opponent in a given moment.
In as much as a policy is defended or advocated with any substance it is usually by accident and later apologized for.
The optics, as I said, are what's important, and in that both Trump and Biden looked both horrifying and ridiculous in turns. Trump has always been abrasive, but up against Biden he was just grumpy and annoying by constantly interrupting and talking over Biden. He also failed to stand-up to Chris Wallace, the moderator, in any meaningful way, which I think would have been a good look for him. Instead, he whined at one point that he also had to debate Wallace, but otherwise let Wallace scold him the rest of the night. I think if he had strongly said something to the effect of, "I am the President of the United States, and I'm not going to let some 'fake news' anchor distort my record and make excuses for my opponent to the American people, so please keep your mouth shut while I'm talking," or something that put Wallace "in his place" so to speak, it would have been a huge moment for him.
Biden, on the other hand, largely looked like the victim of a mugging against Trump, which is not a trait that I think will endear him to voters. His best moment in the debate was the first time he told Trump to shut up, but after that it was largely just him letting Trump steamroll him. I was watching the CBS News stream of the debate on YouTube, and after the debate was over it went to the CBS News anchors who immediately began to talk about President Trump's "bullying" which is a good indicator that Biden had a bad night, in my opinion. The last thing you want to look like in a presidential debate is weak, and if we have to refer to Trump as a "bully" after the debate then it's safe to say that Biden looked weak.
I don't know what will come of the debate, though it's clear that Daniel Hannan was correct in his tweet when he predicted reactions such as, "'Another devastating point by my guy! The other guy is a lying jackass!'" Regardless, Frank Luntz, the political pollster, is reporting that "This debate has actually convinced some undecided voters to not vote at all. I've never seen a debate cause this reaction." In so much as I want less of life in general to be confined to the political sphere, people losing faith in the political process is a positive development, and it's possible that the Trump-Biden clown show will convince at least some people that politics is nothing more than poison to their lives.