Last night’s presidential debate was painful to watch. President Biden did not have a good night. His voice was hoarse, and he stumbled over some of his words. At times, he didn’t finish his train of thought, and at one point he ended an incoherent section with “We beat Medicare”. Even when he was defending some of his successful policies, he was not very persuasive. As the night wore on, Biden got a little better, but the damage was done.
Former president Truimp was more polished. He seemed more restrained than usual, but he also had a bad night. He told a litany of lies that are factually false: migrants commit more crimes than others, he won the 2020 election, and that Biden favors “post-birth abortions”. He refused to answer questions about what he would do regarding climate change, opioid addiction, child care, and the war in Ukraine, even when the commentators repeated their questions two or three times. He did not offer any policy proposals.
Many Americans do not like the two major choices of Biden and Trump. Influential Democrat leaders are urging Biden to step aside to allow someone else to become their party’s nominee. Some governors (like California’s Gavin Newsome) would be stronger than Biden and would shake up the race. If Biden really wants his party to win, he should consider this option.
Lindy Scott 