During the first presidential debate in Cleveland Tuesday night, President Trump detailed some of the consequences of economic lockdowns implemented to slow the spread of Wuhan coronavirus.
"We need to open these states up, it's not fair. You're talking about, it's almost like being in prison. And you look what' going on with divorce, what's going on with alcoholism and drugs. It's a very very sad thing and he'll close down the whole country. This guy will close down the whole country and destroy our country. Our country is coming back incredibly well, setting records as it does it. We don't need someone to come in and say 'shut it down,'" Trump said.
According to pollster Lee Carter, President Trump did well with independents on the topic.
"Republicans gave it an A, Independents a B, Democrats an F. This is not that surprising to me. One of the worst moments I've tested on Biden so far was when he said, 'If things get bad again, I will shut it down.' People do not want the economy to shut all the way down again. We want us to be smart. People want to be safe, they want to be protected but they want the economy open," Carter said during an interview with Fox and Friends.
Biden made his economic shutdown remarks during a recent interview with ABC News.
"I would shut it down," Biden said. "In order to keep the country moving and the economy running and people employed, you have to fix the virus."