The sound you might have heard after the presidential debate this past week was of voters falling between a rock and a hard place.
Apart from the sizable and pumped-up universe of Donald Trump's supporters, the debate suddenly crystalized the worries of many Americans, a portion of U.S. President Joe Biden's supporters among them, that neither man is fit to lead the nation.
Heading into the first debate of the general election campaign, voters had faced a choice between two strikingly unpopular candidates. They then watched as Trump told a stream of falsehoods with sharpness, vigor and conviction, while Biden struggled mightily to land debating points and even to get through many sentences. It added to doubts about the 81-year-old Democratic president's fitness to be in office for four more years.
Now, the options are even more dispiriting for many Democrats, undecided voters and anti-Trump Republicans. More than a few people came away from watching the debate very conflicted.
Outside a Whole Foods in downtown Denver, Colo., on Friday, registered Democrat Matthew Toellner tilted his head sideways, mouth agape, in an imitation of his favored candidate, Biden, who was seen doing that at times on the split screen when Trump was talking Thursday night.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to vote for Biden," said Toellner, 49, leaning against the wood siding of the grocery store. 鈥淎ctually, I might not.鈥
A few minutes later, Toellner looked out to the street and rethought again. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to vote for Biden, I think I鈥檇 be a fool not to. But I just hate that I have to.鈥
His appeal to Biden and Democrats: 鈥淧lease step down, get somebody electable."
On a Detroit park bench, Arabia Simeon was left feeling politically homeless after voting Democratic in the past two presidential elections. 鈥淚t just feels like we鈥檙e doomed no matter what," she said.
Trump's disregard for the facts suffused his arguments, though he was rarely challenged on the specifics during the debate. On abortion, for example, one of America's most divisive issues for generations, the former Republican president claimed there is universal agreement that states should decide on the legality of it. There is ferocious argument about that.
But did that matter? The public reaction, in dozens of interviews across the country, brought to mind Bill Clinton's post-presidency assessment of what voters want in fraught times: 鈥淲hen people feel uncertain, they鈥檇 rather have someone strong and wrong than weak and right."
The debate unmoored Simeon just as it did Toellner.
The 27-year-old owner of a Detroit start-up went into debate night deciding between Biden and an independent candidate, the most prominent of whom is long shot Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Now she's leaning against Biden.
鈥淚 think it just kind of validated the feeling that I was having that this election is going to be extremely hectic, and it鈥檚 no longer the conversation of the lesser of two evils for me,鈥 she said from a park bench on a work break. 鈥淚t鈥檚 more like both of these candidates don鈥檛 feel like viable options.鈥
Simeon said that as a Black and queer person, 鈥淚t鈥檚 really disheartening to know that no matter how far we come as a country, we鈥檙e still going to factory reset when it comes to president and have to make a choice between two white men.鈥
In large part, Democratic lawmakers in Washington and party officials across the United States closed ranks around Biden despite the panic that gripped many of them from his debate performance. But their remarks were measured, seeming to leave an opening if Biden were to make the extraordinary decision to have Democrats find another nominee.
鈥淚t鈥檚 President Biden鈥檚 decision what he wants to do with his life," said Sharif Street, chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party and a state senator. .鈥淪o far, he鈥檚 decided he鈥檚 our nominee, and I鈥檓 with him."
To be sure, plenty of Biden supporters saw nothing to throw them off, as much as they tended to think he blew it.
鈥淲orrisome,鈥 Jocardo Ralston of Philadelphia said of Biden's turn on the stage. Yet, Ralston said, "I鈥檓 not conflicted, nor do I feel that I am choosing the lesser of two evils. ... Biden is not the ideal choice for many, but he is the only choice for me, without regrets or hesitation.鈥
The third-year doctoral student at the University of Pennsylvania, whose work focuses on the experiences of queer Black and Latino boys in special education classrooms, watched the debate in a Cincinnati bar while visiting the city. 鈥淎ll the work that I do and everything that I fight for is in direct opposition to Trump, his values, and his policies," he said.
Biden turned in a more spirited performance Friday at a rally in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he acknowledged he is not the debater he used to be. 鈥淚 know how to do this job,鈥 he said. "I know how to get things done.鈥 He assailed Trump in ways that eluded him the night before.
鈥淚 thought 鈥榃ell Joe, why didn鈥檛 you say that last night?鈥欌 said Maureen Dougher, 73, who found Biden 鈥渟trong,鈥 鈥渄efinite鈥 and 鈥渧ery clear鈥 in his rally remarks. In a debate watched by an estimated 51.3 million people, according to a preliminary estimate by the Nielsen company, Biden鈥檚 showing 鈥渄idn鈥檛 come across as well as it did today.鈥
Amina Barhumi, 44, of Orland Park, Ill., is affiliated with Muslim Civic Coalition and is sizing up Biden and Trump in part on how she expects each will act on the interests of American Muslims. Count her as demoralized about the candidate choices, too. She's hearing 鈥渆ssentially the same rhetoric鈥 from both.
鈥淲e have not-so-great options that are front-runners on the ticket,鈥 she said. "Yesterday was an affirmation of exactly that.鈥
鈥淨uite frankly, I think it was very difficult to watch,鈥 she said of the debate. 鈥淚 have teenagers and it felt like a bunch of bickering and nonsensical name-calling. And I think the American public expects more.鈥
Associated Press journalists Jesse Bedayn in Denver; Mike Householder in Detroit; Carolyn Kaster in Cincinnati; Melissa Perez Winder in Bridgeview, Illi.; and Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, N.C., contributed to this report.
In part two of a four-part investigation into the seedy underbelly of the lucrative clothing donation bin industry, CTV W5 uses trackers tp reveal a for-profit operation masquerading as a charity.
The XEC strain, a hybrid of Omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, was first detected in Canada in mid-August and the number of COVID-19 cases with the XEC variant has rapidly increased.
Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.
A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.
Ellen Francis says she and her family were having a great time at one of Cuba's famously stunning beaches and exploring the popular tourist town of Varadero when the situation turned into something like a scary movie.
Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week. The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.
As King Charles III prepares to address Commonwealth countries, Royal commentator Afua Hagan explores whether he will broach the issue of slavery that has long been a source of tension between former colonial powers and their former colonies.
On the tenth anniversary of the shooting on Parliament Hill, a man was arrested and charged with trespassing as he attempted to push past security guards into the House of Commons.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a food safety alert Tuesday regarding an E. coli outbreak that it says is linked with McDonald鈥檚 Quarter Pounders.
British Columbia's highest court has weighed in on a dispute over an inflatable hot tub a couple set up on their condo's patio 鈥 potentially bringing a close to the years-long conflict.
A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.
Canada is getting served a smorgasbord of weather this week. The West saw its first sign of winter, while the eastern half of Canada experienced summer-like temperatures on Tuesday.
Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.
None of the more than 1,600 Canadians currently registered in Cuba have requested consular assistance in returning to Canada, Global Affairs Canada confirmed to CTVNews.ca.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.
John Kelly, the retired Marine general who was Donald Trump's White House chief of staff, told The New York Times that the former president fits 'into the general definition of fascist鈥 and 'certainly prefers the dictator approach to government.'
At least 11 people were killed Tuesday after a fuel truck exploded next to a highway in Uganda, police said. Two children were among the dead.
Large chunks of Cuba continue to be without power as the death toll climbs to seven following Tropical Storm Oscar hitting the country's east coast, delaying a resolution to their nationwide blackout.
Democratic nominee Kamala Harris on Tuesday said she would work to bring more funds to community banks to help Latino men secure small business loans, while Republican Donald Trump's economic roundtable aimed at Latino voters devolved into a tirade of insults against his opponent.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will participate in an interview on Friday with popular podcaster Joe Rogan, who has a devoted following in the tens of millions of listeners.
South Korea warned Tuesday it could consider supplying weapons to Ukraine in response to North Korea allegedly dispatching troops to Russia, as both North Korea and Russia denied the movements.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he doesn't think his leadership is in danger, one day before a highly anticipated Liberal caucus meeting where his future at the helm of the Liberal party is expected to be up for discussion.
On the 10-year anniversary of the deadly Parliament Hill shooting, former sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers says there's 'not a day that goes by' where he doesn't think about it.
Former Conservative leader Erin O'Toole says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'should move on,' as he faces growing inner-caucus turmoil.
The XEC strain, a hybrid of Omicron subvariants KS.1.1 and KP.3.3, was first detected in Canada in mid-August and the number of COVID-19 cases with the XEC variant has rapidly increased.
With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.
Consumers in Canada are being told to check their freezers after hundreds of frozen waffle products were recalled for fears of a possible Listeria contamination. The voluntary recall was just the latest in a string of listeria-related recalls in North America.
A massive space rock, estimated to be the size of four Mount Everests, slammed into Earth more than 3 billion years ago 鈥 and the impact could have been unexpectedly beneficial for the earliest forms of life on our planet, according to new research.
The estimated population of North Atlantic right whales increased in 2023, but a group of international marine scientists say human behaviour still poses a significant threat to the critically endangered species.
In the fight against cyber attackers, they reason AI can help just as much as it harms.
An initial toxicology report for ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died last week after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, showed that he had cocaine in his system after his death, an Argentine official said.
It was lights, cameras, and action at a beachfront Manitoba community last week as a Hollywood movie shoot took over the town once again.
Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has chronic myeloid leukemia, NBC News reported on Monday, citing sources.
Quebec television executive Marie-Philippe Bouchard's appointment as the next president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada comes with big challenges at the beleaguered public broadcaster, say observers who emphasized the need for renewed trust and a revamped funding model.
Canada's labour tribunal says the federal government's directive to end the countrywide rail shutdown in August marked an 'unprecedented' move.
Small businesses on Prince Edward Island are calling for the removal of the $50.25 Confederation Bridge toll.
A Manitoba company competed against the cream of the crop at the world's largest dairy expo and came out the big cheese.
A manufacturer in Saskatchewan is looking to set a new record by building the world's longest trampoline.
Summer might be the most popular season for tourism to Europe, but it hardly promises a calm, cool and collected experience.
Former Manchester United and Atl茅tico Madrid striker Diego Forl谩n is set to make his professional tennis debut in November, when he will compete in an ATP doubles event in his native Uruguay.
Tua Tagovailoa does not want to be the face of traumatic brain injuries in the NFL, but he knows that's the reality confronting him after his latest concussion.
A parliamentary committee will not question the coaches of the national women's soccer team about the Paris Olympics cheating scandal, after Liberal and Bloc Qu茅b茅cois MPs voted against launching a study today.
An increased risk of fire has prompted the recall of thousands of Honda hybrid vehicles in Canada.
The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
Canada鈥檚 border guards have seized more than 1,900 stolen cars so far this year at railyards and ports, which is over a hundred more than in 2023.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.
Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.
The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.
A Moncton, N.B., home has been donated to the Friends of The Moncton Hospital Foundation and will be transformed into a resource hub for people living with cancer.
A Nova Scotia man crossing Canada on foot is passing through southwestern Ontario. Trevor Redmond is perhaps better known as the 鈥楩ellow in Yellow.鈥
Two Vancouver city councillors are questioning why they鈥檝e been ousted from city appointed roles.
The rain has only just stopped pummelling parts of Metro Vancouver, but for the hundreds of residents left with flood-damaged homes, the nightmare is far from over.
Cole Mcleod was home with his roommate in their 21st floor apartment on Monday afternoon when the fire alarm went off in the downtown Vancouver building. Then, he smelled smoke.
The Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) and opposition leaders at Queen's Park are calling on the government to reduce, or eliminate, parking fees at hospitals for staff, patients and visitors.
Taylor Swift fans from far and wide will head to Toronto next month to see the superstar perform a series of six sold out shows at the Rogers Centre.
A motorcyclist has been critically injured in a collision on the Queen Elizabeth Way in Oakville, police say.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.
Bricks along the pathway at Calgary鈥檚 Olympic Plaza have been removed and it wasn鈥檛 by the city. It appears people are coming to grab bricks with their names, family members鈥 name or a saying ahead of the plaza closing.
More than a decade after Colton Crowshoe's death, the case against his killer continues.
An Orl茅ans property that once belonged to a religious order is now in the City of Ottawa's hands.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
Passengers on a Via Rail train from Toronto found themselves stuck south of Ottawa for several hours Tuesday because of mechanical issues on the train.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault promised on Tuesday to toughen secularism measures in schools, saying he was 'shocked' by revelations about a Montreal public school where a group of teachers had tried to introduce what the premier described as 'Islamist' beliefs.
The Quebec government wants to hear Quebecers' thoughts about scrapping the twice-yearly time change, but it isn't promising to act on them.
On a night when New York's top line was missing in action, the bit players grabbed the spotlight and led the Rangers to a commanding 7-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Police are looking for a man and a woman who robbed an Edmonton jewelry store earlier this month.
Edmonton Public Schools (EPS) custodians have voted 97 per cent in favour of going on strike.
A new commentary suggests the Government of Alberta purposely pushed false narratives around public safety to scale down safe supply in the province.
Police have confirmed the body of an employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax over the weekend was found in a walk-in oven.
The president of a popular New Brunswick potato chip company has been arrested for domestic violence in Bangor, Maine.
A member of the Nova Scotia Liberal Party is crossing the floor and joining the Progressive Conservatives.
Folks making the trek to and from Thompson along Highway 6 are once again without a bathroom break鈥 at least for now.
The Manitoba government is restoring the 1:1 apprentice-to-journeyperson ratio.
A number of Manitoba communities kicked off the week by breaking decades-old heat records.
Saskatchewan's Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) has found that former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal violated legislative rules by profiting from hotels while they were party to government contracts.
A determined group within Moose Jaw has stepped up to provide assistance to those in need 鈥 following the closure of one of the city's shelters.
Saturday's matchup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders could determine if they clinch the West Division title, however the results from Winnipeg's game earlier in the day could make their matchup meaningless.
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a sudden death in Kitchener.
No one was hurt after playground equipment went up in flames at a Kitchener, Ont. park.
A bloodstain pattern analyst expert testified Tuesday at Erick Buhr鈥檚 second-degree murder trial.
A Saskatoon family is voicing concerns after paying twice as much PST as expected on a recently purchased truck.
Hundreds of voter information cards have landed in the wrong hands.
A city planning document for the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) sparked controversy over the weekend, with three civic election candidates alleging Confederation Mall was at risk of being demolished and replaced with dense housing.
Now that the jury has begun deliberating in the Sudbury murder trial of Felicity Altiman, here are some of the interesting courtroom moments they didn't get to hear.
Greater Sudbury has ended the employment of CAO Ed Archer, Mayor Paul Lefebvre announced suddenly Tuesday evening
After operating for 51 years, General Motors has announced it is closing the Kapuskasing Proving Ground, a facility the automaker used to test the durability of its vehicles in cold weather.
Police said the house is believed to be empty and abandoned and it's not known yet if the driver of the truck is injured.
A father and his two children who suffered severe burns in a Springfield, Ont. house fire have undergone surgery.
A collision between a pickup truck and SUV shuttered the intersection of Base Line and New Road for several hours.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a serious collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end involving a passenger vehicle and a motorcycle.
Drivers are asked to be on the lookout for deer and other wildlife crossing our highways.
A 35-year-old man from Etobicoke is facing impaired driving charges after a crash involving a Ministry of Transportation vehicle parked along Highway 11 south.
One week before Halloween a special trick or treat event is taking place in Windsor; the safety village is holding its annual event on Thursday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Residents living in central Windsor are calling for after-hours construction to expand a commercial development to stop.
If you live in Windsor, Ont. and get a knock at the door from a political canvasser, it might be surprising since there鈥檚 no election on the horizon at the municipal, provincial or federal level. But across the border, that's not the case.
Mounties in British Columbia say a second person has been found dead after two vehicles ended up in a river on Vancouver Island when a road washed out amid torrential rains over the weekend.
With the B.C. election too close to call, Dr. Bonnie Henry was asked Tuesday how she feels about the possibility of a party that has repeatedly called for her firing forming government.
Premier and NDP Leader David Eby says he's been told by the B.C. Green Party that it's too early to begin talks about a minority government agreement after the weekend's still-undecided provincial election.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she's waiting for NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi to declare where he intends to run for office before she calls a byelection in Lethbridge.
The health of honeybees will be the focus of a presentation at the University of Lethbridge on Wednesday evening.
Alberta is offering infrastructure funding to help municipalities accommodate recent population growth. The province has added a little over 500,000 people over five years, putting pressure on public services.
The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.
Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.
An Indigenous group in northwestern Ontario shut down the highway for a couple of hours Monday morning in protest after ancestral remains were found at a construction site.
Police in western Newfoundland say a 77-year-old man visiting the province from Kansas is missing after a fire at a hotel in Deer Lake, N.L.
At 2 p.m. on Thursday, the scene at the Lions Club in Clarenville, N.L., rivalled any rowdy St. John's bar that thumps with music late on a weekend night.
A Newfoundland scientist known for identifying a gelatinous, rancid mass that washed up on the island's shores decades ago is hoping to get his hands on a slice of the strange white globs appearing on the province's beaches.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
