“We had an economy that was in free fall,” Biden said in answer to the first question of the debate Thursday night.from the pandemic and lockdowns before Joe Biden took office. In the third quarter of 2020, the economy grew at an annual pace of 34.8 percent, according to the Department of Commerce. The following quarter, it grew at an annual rate of 4.2 percent. In the first quarter of 2021, the economy grew at an annual rate of 5.2 percent.
By contrast, when Joe Biden was vice president, unemployment was above 6.4 percent from January of 2009 through April of 2014. When President Barack Obama and Biden were re-elected in 2012, the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent.CNN Touts Debate Rules; Muted Mics at Biden's Request*** Debate Night Livewire *** Donald Trump, Joe Biden Face Off on CNN in Atlanta