Debate Results
Frank Luntz is a well-known Republican pollster. You can count on him to slant his findings to fit his partisan views. Last night, after the CNN Presidential debate, Luntz asked his “focus group” the following questions. “How many think that Trump won the debate?”. No one in the group raised their hand. “How many think Biden lost?” All hands went up in agreement.
Much as I dislike Luntz, in this one case, he’s right. President Joe Biden had “one job” last night, show America that he was up to the task of defeating Donald Trump in the 2024 Presidential election. We hoped, we believed; that the President would show that even at eighty-one years old, he still has the “juice” to do the “one job”. He failed miserably. His performance was as bad as I’ve seen from any candidate for the highest office in the land. In more than a half-century of Presidential debates, the only thing that comes close was in 1992, when Admiral James Stockdale, running as Vice President for third party candidate Ross Perot, could only utter one-word answers – notably the term “gridlock”.
Liar or Old Man
Trump lied, over and over again. The CNN moderators determined not to try to fact-check his lies, another job that then fell to President Biden. No excuses: Biden looked like a confused “old man” on the debate stage. He struggled to put a coherent thought together. The sheer volume of falsehoods seemed to overwhelm him, throw him off message, and sent him searching for responses. But all that does not “excuse” Biden’s failure.
What is America left with? A President who lies so much, there’s no time left to correct him. A President who made it very clear that he is running to get his “retribution” against his enemies, who demonizes immigrants and cozies up to our enemies. A President who is a factual felon, a criminal? Or do we elect an “old man”, who seems to be able to govern, but struggles to put it together enough to lead.
Joe’s Back
California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, is a Democrat who appears to be running for President in 2028. He is a Biden “surrogate”, going around the Nation in support of the President. Last night, Newsom made it clear where he stands in 2024: “You dance with the one who ‘brung’ you.” Joe Biden had a horrible night, a terrible public failure. But that one night shouldn’t wipe out his decades of service, his obvious leadership in achieving one of the best legislative histories of an American President, his universal concern for the American people. Newsom said; “Joe Biden’s had our back, now it’s time for us to have his”.
Biden walked off of the debate stage onto a rally stage – and looked, acted, spoke, completely normal. He was a “Happy Warrior” in front of the crowd, joking and laughing and making important points clearly. The choice of what happens next rests solely with him. If he decides to resign from the job of “running for President” and release his convention delegates, then the Democratic Party has a crazy month ahead of it. There hasn’t been that kind of “open” convention since the 1920’s. It would have to unite behind another candidate, one who can lead the existential fight to defeat Trump and MAGA’ism: Vice President Harris, Governor Newsom, Governor Whitmer, Secretary Buttigieg – who knows.
Or Biden can soldier on, now with one more huge hurdle to clear. He must convince the American people that he is “up” for both jobs: defeating Trump and running the Nation. No amount of reassurance from staff, friends, surrogates, or media will solve that problem. Biden must “show us”.
Get It Right
It’s June, four months before the Presidential election. A lot will happen before November. Donald Trump, will be sentenced for thirty-four felony convictions in July 11th. There will be conventions, there will be daily speeches and interactions, plenty of opportunities for Biden and Trump to show who they are.
I was a coach. One of the hardest decisions I had to make was when a “star” failed. Was it time to change, to pull him from the lineup? Or was it time to “have his back”, depending on him to regain his “mojo” and help our team win? That decision is far more difficult, when ultimately the “coach” in this situation is also the “star”. But we’ve trusted Joe Biden with the Presidency, and with the role of saving the Nation from MAGA’ism. Failure in that task, is not an option, and he knows it better than anyone. I guess, (and if that sounds shaky, it is), we need to trust him this one more time. It’s his decision, it’s Jill’s decision, it’s his closest advisors decision. I’ve got his back, either way.
But they better get it right.
Great perspective, as usual. Agree 100%. He, and his handlers, did a great job today in NC STARTING to dig out of the hole he dug himself last night. He projected energy, even while acknowledging his age, & his poor performance the night before. But he completely failed to answer the bell last night, when it counted. Embarrassing. last night seemed to validate every criticism that had been leveld against him about being just too old, not with it. He looked lost, standing there, his mouth agape, staring blankly. “We finally beat Medicaid…” what the hell was that? I was an ENTHUSIASTIC Biden voter in 2020. He’s still got my vote, at this point, & I will NEVER vote Trump… but damn, that was just scary last night.