In the lead up to the election, the presidential debates took place. You would expect two grown men respectfully talking, but instead it was more like watching 4-year-olds argue.

Let’s start with the first debate between candidates President Donald Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden. As the moderator was asking them questions, they bickered back and forth, throwing insults, interrupting one another and going over time limits. About 75 percent of the debate was spent arguing instead of answering questions.

It is scary to think that these two men, both in their mid-70s, cannot talk back and forth for an hour and a half – and they’re supposed to be the people we look to for guidance? It makes my generation feel like the country is letting them down, and they have nobody to blame but the people who are highest in power.

Next, was the vice-presidential debate between Harris and Pence. When I first started watching this, I expected the same exact thing as the presidential debate. I was ready for them to be rude, immature, disrespectful. Surprisingly, this was slightly more bearable. It was a lot more talking and thoroughly answering the questions that the moderator gave them. Still a little bit of Trump’s attitude rubbed off on Pence. Pence went over time limits and interrupted a few times, but it was manageable.

When the second presidential debate took place, I expected less arguing, and I got exactly that. They muted the microphones of each candidate when they weren’t talking to minimize arguing, and it worked well. The answers might not all have been the greatest, but it was more civilized. In order to really put this in context, I needed comparison, so I watched some old debates, specifically Kennedy vs. Nixon, which took place in 1960.

Watching them talk was peaceful. They answered one question at a time and never once talked out of place or were rude to one another. I expect a presidential candidate to be respectful. They should be someone put together, smart, someone who I can trust to make the decisions that will better me and this country.

I want their debate to sound civilized without arguing. I want them to be respectful of the other candidate. Looking at how immature and uncivilized these debates have become is nothing short of alarming. It is hostile and sad to say that this is what America has come to.