Former Vice-President Joseph R. Biden fought the instinct to punch President Donald J. Trump in the nose last evening. The scowling pruned face expression of disdain displayed by the president last night was just short of him sticking his fingers in his ears and poking out his tongue. Give ole’ Uncle Joe credit, he wanted to stick to facts, repeatedly glancing down at what appeared to be bullet points to stay on track but when faced with an onslaught of lies it was difficult. Chris Wallace became more dog and cat wrangler than a moderator. Biden and Wallace would chase the glitterball of lies tossed by the President, while Mr. Trump sat in his soiled litter box awaiting the loud meows of discontent.
The debate was pretty much about what we already knew…
Donald Trump blatantly refused to say the words white supremacists are not welcome in American politics. Instead, he used coded language, saying directly to the Proud Boys terrorist group “stand back and stand by.” At the end of the debate, he went on to encourage his followers to be some sort of self-appointed poll watchers. Will white terrorists show up at local voting stations, armed, wearing camouflage, or in organized caravans of Trump-flag draped pickups and station wagons? Foolishly, I sat in my rocker peering at my flat screen tv set with a note pad. I legitimately planned to take notes and make a serious and rational assessment. The only opportunity I had for those moments is when Joe Biden would turn, face the camera, and say, “ folks, you at home.”
Donald Trump did not win one voter that was not already in his camp. I hate to sound stereotypical but the rifle-wielding, red hat wearer probably cheered when Mr. Trump ignored the service of Joe Biden’s dead son Beau. They rooted him on when he attacked Chris Wallace for trying to get the President to adhere to decorum. They may have blamed the losers and suckers when Mr. Biden talked about the 204,000 dead, who can no longer sit at the family dining table. Watching Chris Wallace try and make a man-child act more like a man than a child was darkly amusing. The biggest problem is that the world is watching. At least twice during the debate, Mr. Biden referred to Mr. Trump as a “clown.” Ordinarily, I would condemn that rejoinder, but if you watched even five minutes of the debate the comment was completely appropriate… if the clown shoe fits...
The President of the United States acted like a raving lunatic last night…
A man who scammed millions of dollars with a fake university questioned the college credentials of Joe Biden. A man who botched a health pandemic so badly, that 200,000 Americans have died resorted to a game of contrast and compare with the Swine flu. As a black voter, the blaring sounds of his bull horn pierced my soul when he refused to admit that racism is systemic in this country. His plan to deny people of color a voice in the workplace, schools, and institutions when it comes to racial sensitivity training was loud and clear. Most of all, the President of the United States, the leader of the free world, and the commander of America’s, Army, Navy, Airforce, and Marines told a white racist group to stand back and ‘stand by. ‘Stand by’ for what Mr. President, for what?
Vote in 2020 for Change.