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President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden squared off, in a way, in dueling televised town halls that showcased striking differences in temperament, views on racial justice, and approaches to a pandemic that has reshaped the nation.

Coming just two and a half weeks before Election Day, the events Thursday night offered crystalizing contrasts and a national, if divided, audience. But it seemed unlikely to have produced a needed moment for a president running out of time or opportunities to appeal beyond his core base.

He was defensive about his administration鈥檚 handling of the coronavirus, which has claimed more than 217,000 lives in the United States, and evasive when pressed about whether he took a required COVID-19 test before his first debate with Mr. Biden. Angry and combative, Mr. Trump refused to denounce the QAnon conspiracy group 鈥� and only testily did so regarding white supremacists.

The Republican president also appeared to acknowledge revelations from a recent New York Times report that he was in debt and left open the possibility that some of it was owed to a foreign bank. But he insisted that he didn鈥檛 owe any money to Russia or any 鈥渟inister people鈥� and suggested that $400 million in debt was a 鈥渧ery, very small percentage鈥� compared to his overall assets.

Mr. Biden denounced the White House鈥檚 handling of the virus, declaring that it was at fault for closing a pandemic response office established by the Obama administration in which he served. Though vague at times, he suggested he will offer clarity on his position on expanding the Supreme Court if Mr. Trump鈥檚 nominee to the bench is seated before Election Day.

After Mr. Biden鈥檚 90-minute town hall event formally concluded, the candidate spent another half-hour taking questions from those in the audience who didn鈥檛 get an opportunity during the televised program.

Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden were supposed to spend Thursday night on the same debate stage in Miami. But that face-off was scuttled after Mr. Trump鈥檚 coronavirus infection, which jolted the race and threatened the health of the American president.

Mr. Trump wouldn鈥檛 say whether he had tested negative on the day of his first debate with Mr. Biden on Sept. 29, allowing only, 鈥淧ossibly I did, possibly I didn鈥檛.鈥� Debate rules required that each candidate, using the honor system, had tested negative prior to the Cleveland, Ohio, event, but Mr. Trump spoke in circles when asked when he last tested negative.

The presidential rivals took questions in different cities on different networks: Mr. Trump on NBC from Miami, Mr. Biden on ABC from Philadelphia. Mr. Trump backed out of plans for the presidential face-off originally scheduled for the evening after debate organizers said it would be held virtually following his COVID-19 diagnosis.

The town halls offered a different format for the two candidates to present themselves to voters, after the pair held a chaotic and combative first debate late last month. The difference in the men鈥檚 tone was immediate and striking.

Mr. Trump was Mr. Trump. He was loud and argumentative, rebuking his FBI director, fighting with the host, Savannah Guthrie, complaining about the questioning 鈥� and eventually saying for the first time that he would honor the results of a fair election, but only after casting an extraordinary amount of doubt on the likeliness of fairness.

鈥淎nd then they talk, 鈥榃ill you accept a peaceful transfer?鈥欌�� Mr. Trump said. 鈥淎nd the answer is, 鈥榊es, I will.鈥� But I want it to be an honest election, and so does everybody else.鈥�

He again sought to minimize revelations from a New York Times investigation that he has more than $400 million in debt and suggested that reports are wrong that he paid little or no federal income taxes in most years over the past two decades.

Mr. Biden, meanwhile, took a far different, softer approach with audience questions. The former vice president, who struggled growing up with a stutter, stuttered slightly at the start of the program and at one point squeezed his eyes shut and slowed down his response to clearly enunciate his words. At times his answers droned on.

Holding a white cloth mask in one hand, the Democratic nominee brought a small card of notes onstage and referred to it while promising to roll back tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. He said doing so would save, as he consulted his notes, 鈥渓et me see ... $92 billion.鈥�

Mr. Biden vowed to say before Election Day whether he will support expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court if Democrats win the presidency and the Senate and hold the House after November.

He has for weeks refused to answer the question but went further Thursday night. He said, 鈥淚鈥檓 still not a fan鈥� of expanding the court, but said his ultimate decision depended on how the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court 鈥渋s handled鈥� and 鈥渉ow much they rush this.鈥�

Mr. Biden also blasted Mr. Trump鈥檚 foreign policy, declaring that 鈥溾�楢merica first鈥� has made 鈥楢merica alone,鈥欌�� and, 鈥淭his president embraces all the thugs in the world.鈥� He turned introspective when asked what it would say if he lost.

鈥淚t could say that I鈥檓 a lousy candidate, that I didn鈥檛 do a good job,鈥� Mr. Biden said. 鈥淏ut I think, I hope that it doesn鈥檛 say that we鈥檙e as racially, ethnically, and religiously at odds as it appears the president wants us to be.鈥�

Mr. Biden said he plans to participate in next week鈥檚 debate but he would ask Mr. Trump to take a COVID-19 test before arriving. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just decency鈥� for everyone around him, including non-candidates like camera operators, Mr. Biden said.

The two men are still scheduled to occupy the same space for a debate for a second and final time next week in Nashville.

This story was reported by The Associated Press. Additional reporting was provided by AP writers Bill Barrow in Wilmington, Delaware, and Zeke Miller and Alexandra Jaffe in Washington.

Editor鈥檚 note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It鈥檚 free.