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This episode contains strong language.\n\nBoth presidential candidates had clear goals for their first debate on Tuesday.\n\nFor Joseph R. Biden Jr., the contest was an opportunity to consolidate his lead in polls before Election Day. President Trump\u2019s task was, politically, a taller order \u2014 to change the course of a race that he seems to be losing. His tactics for doing that emerged quickly: interrupt and destabilize.\n\nThe result was a chaotic 90-minute back-and-forth, an often ugly melee in which the two major party nominees expressed levels of acrid contempt for each other.\n\nWe speak to our correspondent Alexander Burns about the mood and themes of the debate and whether any of it moved the dial for the election.\n\n\n\n\nGuest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.\n\nFor more information on today\u2019s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily\xa0\n\n\n\n\nBackground reading:\xa0With cross talk, lies and mockery, President Trump made little attempt to reassure swing voters about his leadership. Mr. Biden hit back: \u201cThis is so unpresidential.\u201dIn his second time moderating a presidential debate, Chris Wallace of Fox News struggled to rein in the president\u2019s behavior.Here are six takeaways from the debate.