One person looking for serious answers was Reshma Saujani, founder and CEO of nonprofit Moms First, who says her organization delivered a petition with 15,000 signatures to CNN demanding that the network ask the candidates about the United States’ childcare crisis. 

“Childcare for two children costs more than rent in every U.S. state. 50% of Americans live in childcare deserts. And 59% of parents with young kids have been forced to reduce their work hours or quit their jobs due to the exorbitant expenses of child care,” the petition said.

The question about lowering childcare costs did get asked, but it was hardly answered. The two men spent most of their allotted time arguing about who was “the worst president.” Trump ignored the topic, instead criticizing Biden’s handling of the U.S.’s withdrawal from Afghanistan and immigration. Biden addressed the matter briefly: “We should significantly increase the childcare tax credit. We should significantly increase the availability of women and men…to go back to work, and we should encourage businesses to have childcare facilities.”

In a statement, Saujani said Moms First is “disappointed that our presidential candidates failed to acknowledge the seriousness of our childcare crisis and its impact on American mothers,” and she warned Biden and Trump to not “underestimate the power of moms.” 

The candidates spent a bit more time addressing abortion. Trump said he would not block abortion medication, took credit for returning abortion rights to the states, and falsely claimed that some Democrats support aborting babies “after birth.” Biden, whose only advantage over Trump in some polls is his handling of abortion, vowed to restore Roe and said it was “ridiculous” that politicians were determining women’s health care. At one point, though, he inexplicably pivoted to immigration. (Biden’s performance was so disastrous that Vice President Kamala Harris made TV appearances afterward to try to clean up his mess. Renewed calls to replace Biden on the Democratic ticket will put the VP front and center, too.) 

Viewers tuned into the debate seeking more clarity from two candidates they deeply dislike. American women, in particular, are trying to decide between two men who could determine their future access to reproductive care, birth control, and fertility treatments. Parents are mulling how to care for their kids. What viewers got was an embarrassing display in which neither candidate endeared himself to voters or laid out a clear vision for his presidency. In a world in chaos, the debate was just more noise.

Claire Zillman
[email protected]

The Broadsheet is Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Today’s edition was curated by Joseph Abrams. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Case closed. The lawyer who fought for marriage equality and represented E. Jean Carroll in her $83 million verdict against Donald Trump is leaving Kaplan Hecker & Fink, the law firm she cofounded. The decision by Roberta A. Kaplan, also a legal leader in the #MeToo movement, reportedly came after the New York Times notified her of a planned article detailing allegations that she led a toxic workplace. Kaplan’s team denies the claims. New York Times

- Behind the scenes. Sources told Axios that former First Lady Michelle Obama is unhappy with the Biden family for allegedly ostracizing her friend, Kathleen Buhle, after the latter’s divorce from Hunter Biden. Obama’s reported grievances are why she hasn’t campaigned for Biden’s reelection effort, according to Axios. 

- Wormhole. Entrepreneur Andrea Choe has raised $16 million in Series A funding to research how worms can develop new therapeutics for conditions like allergies and autoimmune diseases. Fortune’s Allie Garfinkle visited the lab of Choe’s company, Holoclara, to see exactly how it's done. Fortune

- Staying firm. The incoming global CEO of accounting firm EY says she will not consider a proposed plan to split the business in half. Janet Truncale says she prefers simplifying the company rather than spinning off its tax and compliance department. Financial Times

- Price tag. A new Bankrate analysis found that full-time working moms made $55,276 in 2023 compared to $72,280 for working dads. That’s a 31% difference and equals a $500,000 loss for moms over the course of a 30-year career. Fortune

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: BILL appointed Sarah Acton to chief customer officer.

ON MY RADAR

What Mia Goth learned from MaXXXine—and why she’s ready to move on Time

RTO mandates are killing the euphoric work-life balance some moms found Bloomberg

Eva Longoria has been stressed watching streaming TV. So she pitched ‘Land of Women’ The Hollywood Reporter

PARTING WORDS

“We’ve seen so many companies built on the ideas and creativity of women, but they are not owned by women, which means when the businesses are sold, the women involved don’t see the rewards or get the credit.”

— Serial entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid on the importance of women asking for as much equity as they can get