Thursday night saw the second – and final – debate between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Moderated by NBC’s Kristin Welker, this debate covered a variety of topics including health care, race relations in the U.S., and climate change. 

Fortunately, those watching did not have to endure the chaotic interruptions and name-calling that dominated the first presidential debate. The Debate Commission had the ability to turn off a speaker’s microphone if they attempted to interrupt during the other’s promised two minutes of uninterrupted time to answer Welker’s questions, which seemed to dissuade much of the interjections.

The debate started with questions about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Welker asking both candidates to explain what they would do to stop the spread if they were elected.

“We’re fighting it and we’re fighting it hard… We’re rounding the corner,” said Trump, adding that there could be a vaccine available in a matter of weeks.

Biden countered by reminding people of the high death toll the country has faced thus far.

“220,000 deaths. If you hear nothing else I say tonight, hear this. Anyone who is responsible for that many deaths should not remain as President of the United States,” said Biden.

Also covered in the debate was the issue of immigration, and the separation of families at the U.S.-Mexico border. A report done by the New York Times shows that a little over 500 children have been separated from their parents and are now missing, with around 60 of them being younger than five years old.

“These 500+ kids came with their parents. They separated them at the border to make it a disincentive to come to begin with. It makes us a laughing stock and it violates every notion of who we are as a nation,” Biden heatedly told America.

Trump responded by pointing out that the current migrant holding facilities were actually erected in 2014, during the Obama administration.

“Who built the cages, Joe?” Trump asked repeatedly, adding that “[The children] are so well taken care of.” 

Another contentious issue was national security, where both candidates attacked the other’s ties to foreign countries.

“You got three-and-a-half million dollars [from Russia]. Your family got three-and-a-half million dollars. I never got any money from Russia…There has been nobody tougher than me on Russia,” said Trump in reference to the allegations that Biden had used his political ties to get his son a job in Ukraine.

Biden immediately went on the defensive.

“I have not taken a penny from any foreign source ever in my life. We learned that [President Trump] paid 50 times the tax in China, has a secret bank account with China, does business in China,” Biden responded.

Biden then brought the discussion back to the ongoing battle he is waging with the president over the release of his tax returns.

“I have released all of my tax returns…22 years of my tax returns. You have not released a single solitary year of your tax returns,” Biden said.

Trump countered by saying he cannot release his returns, as he is currently under audit by the IRS.

“I am going to release [my tax returns] as soon as we can. But much more importantly than that, people were saying [I paid] $750. I asked them a week ago, I said ‘What did I pay?’ They said ‘Sir, you prepaid tens of millions of dollars.’ I prepaid my taxes,” Trump said in response.

This close to the election, this was the last chance these people had to sway undecided voters to their side. But whether or not they were able to do so will not be apparent until Nov. 3.