The phrase "whole debacle" refers to a situation or event that has been a complete mess or failure. It signifies something that has gone wrong, creating confusion, chaos, or embarrassment. Full definition
In the cover story, Cook says he feels like the whole debacle over accessing data stored on an iPhone used by a terrorist has been a «bad dream.» (fortune.com)
At no point throughout this whole debacle have I ever mentioned the girl's name. (entrepreneur.com)
Customers hate being lied to or left in the dark — which is another huge takeaway from this whole debacle. (entrepreneur.com)