Mock US Presidential Debate 2020

The Politics Society at Habs have a long tradition of holding mock debates ahead of major elections. We were delighted at lunchtime on Thursday 15 October to hold in the Bourne Hall a mock Joe Biden versus Donald Trump, US Presidential Debate 2020.

To take account of current public health restrictions and the current year group bubbles, the candidates and the moderator were more than two metres apart, with the Lower Sixth audience watching for Bourne Hall downstairs, a large number of Upper Sixth students watching for the Bourne Hall Balcony and a small group of Year 11 students watching via video link from Room BO8. 

The two candidates on the stage, Sean as Joe Biden, Sam as Donald Trump and Oliver as the Moderator, handled their roles in aplomb. Sean and Seam eloquently and in character debated issues such as the COVID-19 crisis, the US Economy, the US Supreme Court, violence in US cities, as well as the past records and statements of Vice President Biden and President Trump.

The debate was lively and engaged considerable reaction from the audience. Fortunately the tone was much more civil than actual, infamous first debate between the two candidates. At Habs we believe in listening to different political opinions and disagreeing well, rather than talking over each other. Oliver proved to be a firm and fair moderator. 

The final vote by a show of hands from the audience, perhaps surprisingly ,was a 50-50 share between Trump and Biden. Who knows whether the result in the actual US Presidential Election on Tuesday November 3 will be that close or what the influence of the Electoral College or the US Supreme Court might potentially be?