Here’s your chance to weigh in on the debate in the comments.
I’m watching the debate now, and have gone through an hour. It’s pretty bad: Biden wobbles and Trump lies. So far Biden isn’t totally out of it and has made some good points. But he does look as if age has taken its toll. He’s a good man—far better than Trump—but Trump is winning. Half an hour to go. Here are some “must watch” moments from the debate selected by CNN; the video 35 minutes long:
All I can say is this: I TOLD YOU SO! Every time I worried and kvetched on this site about Biden’s scary shows of incompetence and inscentience, some readers took me to task, even asserting that I was trying to promote Trump. To those folks: do you still think Biden is a good choice for President? You may say he’s better than Trump—and I will never vote for Trump—but how competent will he be in a couple of years? Seriously!
Well, last night’s debate vindicated me, but also terrified me, because Biden’s performance was apparently so appalling that Democrats throughout America are calling for someone to replace him as a candidate—at this last minute! Trump, meanwhile, blustered and lied a lot, but clearly came off looking better. We Democrats had better regroup! Ceiling Cat help us all!
Here’s this morning’s NYT headlines. You can read the stories behind the headlines on the top and left here, and here, respectively:
Here’s Nellie Bowles (a liberal) giving her take on the debate at the Free Press:
→ The debate happened:I don’t know where to begin. In my home we’ve been screaming at the TV for two hours as I write this. Biden walked on stiff, uncomfortable, strange. He held a bewildered expression throughout the night, his mouth slightly open, his eyes wide, staring off into the distance, rarely smiling. I won’t say Trump looked young (he isn’t), but he is less stiff and his eyes blinked normally, jaw firmly in control of mouth. And then they started talking. The extent of Biden’s cognitive decline is undeniable and, speaking as a citizen who wishes my president the best, devastating. For a strange moment as the debate went on, the entire media commentariat was in agreement: this is a disaster for Joe Biden, and the Democrats need to replace him.
Here’sNicholas Kristof,éminence griseof progressive political commentators: “I wish Biden would reflect on this debate performance and then announce his decision to withdraw from the race, throwing the choice of Democratic nominee to the convention.”Here’sKasie Hunt, CNN anchor: “The voice, open-mouthed look, and visual contrast between President Biden and former President Trump all have Democrats I’m talking to nearly beside themselves watching this debate.”Here’stop pollster Dave Wasserman: “This debate making abundantly clear that Biden’s insistence on running for another term...has gravely jeopardized Dems’ prospects to defeat Trump.”
The low moment for Trump was probably when Biden said Trumpo had “the morals of an alley cat” (great line). And Trump found himself saying: “I didn’t have sex with a p*rn star.” Which is just. I mean. With all due respect...
Low moment for Biden, other than overall presentation, was when his words becamea nonsensical garbleand then the camera panned to an alarmed-looking Trump for his response. “I really don’t know what he said,” Trump says. “I don’t think he knows what he said either.”Or maybe it was when Bidensaid, perplexingly: “We finally beat Medicare.”
High moment for both was the two of themfightingabout their golf skills. Biden goes: “I got my handicap when I was vice president down to a 6.” Trump hits back: “That’s the biggest lie—that he’s a 6 handicap—of all.” Biden: “I was an 8 handicap and—and—” Trump: “I’ve seen your swing. I know your swing.”
And kudos to CNN’s moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bush, praised by the left and right forbeing fair. Turning off the mics after each candidate hit their time limit was really smart, as was having no studio audience. It made for a calmer, more focused debate, and it made it harder for Trump to be a bully. But it still didn’t save Joe.
On CNN, Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s former communications director, said: “It was a really disappointing debate performance from Joe Biden. I don’t think there’s any other way to slice it.” Van Jones, close to tears,suggestedBiden should drop out. CNN correspondentJohn King saidsenior Democrats are considering going to the White House to urge Biden to drop out. The most positive thing former Obama campaign chief David Axelrod could muster was to warn Republicans thatif Biden did drop out, Trump might be in trouble.
I won’t fact-check here, but they both told huge and strange lies (Trump said Democrats allow killing children after they’ve beenborn full-term; Biden said the Border Patrol guysendorsed him). Maybe I’m slap-happy, but this random left-wing Twitter account made me laugh a lot.
In a last-minute scramble, Biden’s team leaked to friendly media: The Presidenthas a cold. The Biden after-party featuredan extraordinarily animatedJill Biden saying to her husband: “Joe, you did such a great job. You answered every question! You knew all the facts. And let me ask the crowd, what did Trump do? Helieeeed!”
I think the question we all have to ask after tonight is simple: If this is Biden, who’s been running our country? Like, practically, who’s been doing thejobjob of it? Jill Biden? The White House handyman? The interns? Karl Rove? A random Houthi? I’m not mad, I just want to know.Because the people who have been pushing to keep him in office certainly know he’s this bad, and they must like it that way. Weak and confused, he can be used, kept as a pet moderate. Interns, release the old man, just tell us your demands, and we can figure something out.
All right, it’s the turn of readers to weigh in. What do you think? Did Biden really do that badly (I’m watching the debate as I write)? Should he be replace? (And isn’t it too late?). If you’re a Democrat, as most of us are, do you still plan to vote for Biden, or will you not vote at all for President (something I contemplate on and off in a state where Biden’s victory is assured)? And if you chewed me out for saying in earlier posts that Biden looked bad, you’re welcome to apologize! 🙂
Your opinion below, please, while I finish watching this debacle.And I’m adding a poll, so please vote, too
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