Grim Reaper
President Biden was at the Camp David Retreat last weekend. He took the time to prepare for this Thursday, the first 2024 Presidential Debate. I know, it’s exactly what we’ve all been waiting for. The eighty-one year old Biden will debate against the seventy-eight year old Trump, in spite of the fact that neither has been nominated by their Party for President, yet. It’s more than four months before the election, in the middle of summer and the baseball season. But it just underscores our reality.
Barring the “Grim Reaper” making a surprise appearance, both this President and the last one will be the major party nominees come August. In fact, Biden will be the nominee before the Democratic Convention even begins, thanks to Ohio’s refusal to allow him on the ballot after his formal nomination. There will be a national telephone vote by the Democratic delegates prior to the arbitrary deadline set by Ohio’s Republican legislature.
Binary Choice
If you didn’t want a rematch of 2020, so sorry. If you were hoping for “new blood” on either side, you’ll have to wait another four years. And if you don’t want the “binary choice”; Trump v Clinton, Trump v Biden; too bad. Two old men are running for President. Each side will try to convince you that their opponent is “enfeebled” by age. There will be deep fakes, AI enhanced “proof” that Biden, or Trump, has lost it. The reality is that both still have their minds. But, like any old men, there are “gaps”; lost words, and misplaced names. Hell, I’m fifteen years younger and it already happens to me.
And what of the “other” candidates? The third party run of Robert Kennedy Junior hit a little snag. He can’t get on the ballot in several states. And besides, ever since Kennedy confessed that a “worm” ate part of his brain, his poll numbers have slithered down. For those “old folks” with good memories (better than Bobby’s), it’s kind of like when Ross Perot said that black hooded operatives invaded his home and threatened his daughter’s wedding in the middle of the 1996 campaign. True or not, if you sound like a crackpot, voters will think you’re a crackpot: worms ate my brain.
Cornell West is still out there, as well as the Democrats least favorite candidate, Jill Stein. And if you missed it (and you probably did), the Libertarian Party booed Trump off of the stage, then nominated Chase Oliver. All told, Americans have the right to vote for whoever they choose, or not vote at all, in November. But our reality is, one of those two old men is going to be the President, and you have a choice, a binary choice, between them. Any other (or no) vote is simply dodging the question.
Issues
So back to the issue at hand: the debate on Thursday night. CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will moderate with strict rules. There is no audience; and microphones will be turned off when the other candidate is “up”. Will the mics be turned off when time expires; will either candidate be allowed to “filibuster”? That remains to be seen.
What can you expect? Somewhere along the way, Biden will say the words “Convicted Felon”. And somewhere else, Trump will say the word “Hunter”. If you have those on your bingo card, it’s a good start. Trump will claim that the border is out of control. He’ll insinuate that all of those illegal migrants will rape you daughters, or worse, someday vote for Biden. Biden will say “come on, man”, then talk about Trump torpedoing the Congressional immigration deal.
Trump will claim that he could bring peace to Ukraine in a few days. Biden will say that Trump is just shilling for his “buddy” Vladimir Putin. And the word “Chiy-nah” will come up, probably from Trump, and the word “abortion” will certainly come up from Biden.
Visions of America
In the end, Biden will try to show that America is moving forward. Inflation is and unemployment are down, wages are going up, and that he is responsible for the best Covid recovery in the world. And, in the end, Trump will paint a picture of America in decline, with dangerous cities filled with (dark) evil people, and a disastrous economy that only “he” can fix. Both will predict the end of the American experiment if the other is elected. At least one of them will be right.
Not ready for your first dose of binary choice? Like it or not, they’ll be on your screens come Thursday. My advice: don’t wait for the late-night talk show hosts (or the morning-drive radio shows) to determine what happened. Check out the debate, and try to stay awake. Remember, it’s probably harder for them, than it is for you!
