None of those words could be used to describe their first clash in Cleveland. Trump, criticized by Republicans for his aggressive performance last month, arrived in a more restrained fashion in an attempt to revitalize his struggling campaign. However, his relatively calm performance was unlikely to change the course of a race that has remained unaffected by major world events. Here are six key points from the final 2020 presidential debate. They actually debated! Following the chaotic first debate, the debate commission introduced a mute feature for the opening statements of both candidates in each segment, which proved to be beneficial. Trump restrained himself from interrupting as much, refraining from directly mentioning Biden's son Hunter leaving the military. He even commended Kristen Welker, the NBC moderator, for maintaining control over the debate. With less cross-talk, viewers were able to better understand the contrasting views of the two candidates on various important issues such as the pandemic, climate change, systemic racism, economic recovery, federal spending, and healthcare. Trump's advisers believe that he needs the presidential race to clearly be a choice between himself and Biden. This set of contrasts only came in the final debate, after the cancellation of the second debate due to Trump contracting COVID-19. With more than 48 million Americans already voting and Trump falling behind in the polls, he still lacks a convincing response to the pandemic. Biden, who entered the stage wearing a mask, made his case against Trump right from the beginning. The coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 220,000 people in the United States. Biden expressed his belief that anyone responsible for a large number of deaths should not continue to hold the position of President of the United States. This sentiment was also shared by Sen. Kamala Harris during the vice presidential debate, to which Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had no adequate response. Trump argued that models had predicted millions of deaths if no action was taken, acknowledging the global nature of the pandemic and pointing out the decreasing mortality rates. He also claimed that the situation was improving and that the pandemic was coming to an end. Hospitalizations and cases are increasing. Trump referenced his own hospitalization with the virus during the first debate, leading to the cancellation of the second debate. He stated that he learned a lot from his experience. However, he also spent time leading up to the debate criticizing Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist. Biden confidently stated that he will put an end to the virus and ensure there is a plan in place. Despite previous concerns that Trump was untouchable, it is actually Biden who has maintained a strong lead in the polls and approval ratings. Throughout the campaign, Biden has brushed off Trump's accusations of being a radical socialist with a nonchalant attitude. During the first debate, he confidently stated, "I am the party." However, on Thursday, Trump made several attempts to discredit Biden by connecting him to Harris' health care stance during the primaries, suggesting that he was influenced by "AOC plus three" - a group of progressive House members. Trump also tried to associate Biden with Sen. Bernie Sanders on health care issues. In response, Biden used his "Come on, man!" tactic once more, calling Trump a confused individual who seems to think he is running against someone else. He is competing against Joe Biden. The Democratic nominee spoke directly to the audience, encouraging them to trust their own perceptions after serving as vice president for eight years: "You are familiar with me. You are familiar with him. You are aware of his character. You know my character." Similar to his approach in the primary election, Biden has placed his confidence in himself and in the implausibility of Trump's criticisms of his character and policies. Thus far, this strategy has been successful. Trump finally made the punch that many Republicans had been eagerly anticipating by criticizing Biden for being all talk and no action during his nearly half-century in and around Washington. Trump repeatedly attacked Biden for not enacting promised changes that should have been done decades ago and questioned why Biden had not achieved them despite his many years in politics. Trump accused Biden of talking about things he would do without actually following through, labeling him as "all talk, no action." Biden, on the other hand, struggled to respond effectively to Trump's criticism during the debate. He even went as far as to distance himself from President Barack Obama due to their failure to pass an immigration overhaul, acknowledging the mistake and stating that he will be president, not vice president. Republican strategist Dave Kochel noted that there was a strong sentiment of "why didn't you do it." Despite a successful first debate against Biden, Trump has only sporadically made his case and his appeal as an outsider has waned now that he is a politician and incumbent with unfulfilled promises. Trump directly blamed Biden for his decision to run for president, but he also struggled to communicate effectively with viewers during the debate, making references to obscure internet controversies and events that likely went over their heads. Biden did not seem to be phased by Trump's attempts to use noncontextual references, particularly about Hunter Biden, as evidence against him. Trump continued to mention the emails and the money involved, but the segment ended without any significant conclusion. It served as a reminder of the differences in running against Biden compared to Hillary Clinton. Trump had previously benefited from years of attacks on Clinton, but the same does not apply to Biden. Democratic strategist Meredith Kelly noted that Trump focused on right-wing theories to appeal to his base without trying to persuade others. Despite this, Trump and Biden had significant disagreements, particularly regarding the extent to which the economy and schools should be closed to control the virus. Trump strongly supported quickly reopening as much as possible, while Biden believed it should only be done when it is truly safe. Trump mentioned his own experience with being hospitalized and recovering from the virus as evidence that people can learn to live with it, to which Biden responded incredulously, saying, "Come on." Trump criticized Biden for mostly campaigning from home and mocked the Plexiglas dividers in restaurants, saying we can't close up the nation. In contrast, Biden emphasized the importance of public health and advocated for shutting down the virus, not the country. They also discussed health care and the environment in a civil manner. Biden stated that he plans to lead the country in moving away from the oil industry and eliminating federal subsidies. Trump responded by questioning if voters in states like Texas, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma would remember this statement. Progressives cheered Biden's declaration, but Democrats in energy-heavy states quickly distanced themselves from it. Republican strategist Colin Reed believes the debate was a draw. He mentioned that both candidates were well-prepared in their approach and content. Biden just needed to make a strong push, while Trump was the one who needed to deliver a decisive blow.