Just over three weeks after their first debate, President Trump and former Vice-President Joe Biden met for their second and final debate tonight. Here are my five observations of this debate.
1. COVID-19
President Trump continued to make nonsensical claims about COVID-19 such as that he was "immune" from the disease, there was "a cure", that Dr. Anthony Fauci is "a Democrat", that he had been congratulated by heads of countries on his handling of COVID, there would be a vaccine within weeks and that we are rounding the corner. With 75,000 new cases per day we're nowhere near rounding the corner.
But when Trump said we were "learning to live with COVID", Biden said, "We're dying with it." That would be 220,000 Americans and counting.
2. Trump's BS is Wearing Thin
Although Trump was less confrontational in this debate, he continued to spew bullshit just the same. But his bullshit is wearing thin.
Nobody believes Trump when he says, "There's nobody tougher than me on Russia."
Nobody believes Trump when he says he's done more for African Americans than any President since Abraham Lincoln.
Nobody believes Trump when he says he's the least racist person in the room. Especially so when just minutes later he characterized asylum seekers who showed up for their immigration hearings as "low IQ".
Nobody believes Trump when he says he's going to bring us "beautiful healthcare." What does that even mean?
Nobody believes Trump when he says Republicans are going to win the House. I doubt Trump believes that either.
Nobody believes Trump when he says his taxes are still under audit. To which Biden replied, "Just show us."
3. Kristen Welker, Hunter Biden & The Trump Kids
Kristen Welker was a big improvement over Chris Wallace as a debate moderator. But why did she ask Joe Biden about Hunter Biden while not asking President Trump about his adult children particularly daughter Ivanka who gets Chinese trademarks while employed at the White House. Where does the White House begin and the Trump Organization end?
As I guessed, Biden didn't mention Trump's kids. Indeed, he said this election wasn't about "my family or his family, but your family." Trump tried to mock him for the line, but made himself look small in the process.
4. Trump Goes After Biden on the 1994 Crime Bill or So Much for Defunding The Police.
During the summer, President Trump repeatedly accused Biden of wanting to defund the police while Biden made it clear he doesn't support this at all. The attack didn't work. So now Trump is painting Biden as the jailer of young black men for his role in getting the 1994 Crime Bill passed through Congress. Trump is trying to have it both ways but he won't get it any way at all.
5. Joe Biden Comes Across as a Decent Human Being; Donald Trump Comes Across Like He Doesn't Give a Damn
Aside from COVID-19, the most telling moment contrasting the two men was the question of separating families of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Biden characterized the treatment as criminal and expressed anger at the Trump Administration for being unable to reunite 545 children with their parents. At first, Trump erroneously claimed that these children were smuggled in by coyotes. When Biden made it clear that these children came over the border with their parents he then claimed the children were "so well taken care of". He said this with all the sincerity with which he condemns white supremacists.
Given what this country has experienced in 2020, never mind since January 2017, I cannot see the country willingly signing up for another four years of it. People are tired of COVID, but they are also tired of Trump and Americans will forever associate the two with one another. People want calm, compassion and empathy and Biden has those qualities in abundance. If people haven't already voted, I think Biden encouraged millions of more Americans to vote for him tonight. In which case, I stand by my prediction in May that Biden will win by a landslide.
The work goes on. But I feel a lot better about things right now than I did four hours ago.
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