I somehow managed to watch the entire 90 minute debate between President Trump and Joe Biden. Here are 9 observations about 90 awful minutes.
1. With respect to the aforementioned sentence, this 90 minute debate felt like 9 hours. Part of me wanted to change the channel. I know who I'm going to vote for and so do a lot of people. But I felt it my civic duty to suck it up and sit through the debate and keep my eyes and ears open.
2. President Trump justified his appointment of Amy Comey Barrett to the Supreme Court by saying he he won the election and that the President has a four year term, not a three year one. Well, President Obama won re-election in 2012 and had a four year term. In his fourth year in office, Obama appointed Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court. I do wish Biden had pointed this out to him. It might not have mattered, but it would have been worth noting.
3. I think Trump supporters will be very happy. But what about people who don't attend Trump rallies? Trump went on the offensive, but was deeply offensive - even more so than usual. When Biden spoke of his deceased son Beau Biden who served in Iraq, instead of offering sympathy Trump made the moment about the much maligned Hunter Biden.
4. It was painful to watch Biden be put on the defensive and suffer as Trump demeaned Hunter. The political animal in me was telling Biden to say, "I'll take Hunter Biden and raise you Ivanka Trump's Chinese patents." But Biden said he didn't want to make the election about Trump's family, but about American families. As noble as Biden's intent is, Trump is going to keep talking about Hunter. It would do no harm to Biden should bring up Ivanka. If Biden doesn't want to be seen as attacking a woman then he has two "adult" sons from whom to choose.
5. Trump's line of attack on Biden was incoherent. One minute he was a super predator against the black community. The next Biden was against law and order. One minute Biden's an agent of Bernie Sanders, the next he's lost the Radical Left. Of course, Trump doesn't care if he's coherent. He just attacks for the sake of attacking. Why? Because it has worked for him and he believes it could work for him again.
6. Early on in the debate, Biden told Trump to "shut up" after he wouldn't let him get a word in edgewise. But he did his best to remain calm and talk to the American voter especially those who lost loved ones to COVID-19. Aside from his statements on COVID-19, Biden strongest moment was when he spoke about election integrity. Trump replied by accusing Biden, President Obama and Hillary Clinton of spying on him while accusing mailmen in West Virginia of selling ballots. There should have been a large hook to remove Trump from the stage and put us out of our collective misery.
7. Chris Wallace was an absolutely awful moderator. He let Trump push him around while being far more assertive. Wallace bizarrely pressed Biden about why he didn't call upon Oregon Governor Kate Brown to call in the National Guard to quell violence in Portland when she did so months ago. Future moderators ought to be able to shut off Trump's mike if he fails to observe the rules, but the Commission on Presidential Debates won't allow it nor will Trump.
8. When given the opportunity, President Trump refused to condemn white supremacy and told the Proud Boys to "stand back, stand by." In which case, we can look forward to a lot more Kenosha Killers crossing state lines to shoot and kill people.
9. I can only hope that by the end of the week that Trump will take a hit in the polls or at the very least Biden maintains his lead. But if Trump gains ground as a result of tonight's debauched demagoguery then God help us.
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