Drive-in viewing party drew large crowds in SF for final presidential debate

J.R. Stone Image
Friday, October 23, 2020
Drive-in viewing party held in SF for final presidential debate
A presidential debate viewing party was help Thursday night in San Francisco. The event drew large crowds, who seemed to be split in their opinions of who won the final debate.

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Thursday night a drive-in viewing party was held at Fort Mason in San Francisco so people could watch the final presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

If you live nearby and heard honking, those were in support of Joe Biden.

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Manny Yekutiel of Manny's, the café and "civic gathering space" in the Mission, organized the event and got the crowd going by saying, "Who wants Joe Biden as your next president? Can I get a honk? That's right! That's right!"

But while support for Biden was strong at this event, former chairman of the California Republican Party Tom Del Beccaro says, not so fast. He believes tonight was a win for President Trump.

"Biden now is going to have to explain why he thinks his son's laptop is a Russian hoax," he explained, "whereas Trump gets to say, 'I'm not the politician he is and I get things done.' Trump won the chess match tonight!"

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Those watching the debate out of their trunk and at the drive-in say there were some surprises.

"I think Trump is acting much more civil than I thought he would," said Andrew Deagon.

Stephanie Liu echoed those thoughts as she watched with her friends, "I have people I know on both sides supporting both parties, and it's been a really good evening talking about the different points that have been brought up."

San Jose State Professor Mary Currin-Percival said that knowing the mics could be turned off helped both candidates, but if she had to pick a winner, "I think Joe Biden had quicker and more policy-oriented responses than Donald Trump did."