I grew up in a Greek household. We followed news and politics constantly. And we argued about it constantly. I was taught that that's how democracy works. Everybody talks politics over every dinner, drink or coffee. The argument with the most merit wins. Even if it doesn't, or your side loses an election, everyone recognized that they'd had their say and maybe their system, policy, party, or candidate would win next time.
In the last year and a half, I've discovered that all avenues for political steam letting are closing. A close friend was asked, by another, who would win the next election. The answer was Trump. When the second friend expressed surprise, I started to put my two cents worth in as to why. Friend One cut me off. "It's because of the third parties." Then he waved his hand and said, "I don't want to talk about it." A close family member, in the last few weeks, announced that she did not want to discuss it. "I don't want to hear it. Biden is a good man."
Today, yet another friend posted a long essay on Facebook about why we shouldn't discuss seeking another candidate to oppose Trump and that if anyone disputed it, he'd block them. OK, so many of my friends and family don't want to vigorously argue the case for a Biden candidacy. At last night's debate, it appeared to the nation that the candidate couldn't very well make the case for himself either. We'll be told that he did fine at an after debate rally and at one today. Oh, good. He's forceful in front of a crowd of friends and fans. But, when it counted, standing next to the self declared wannabe dictator, he was meek as a mouse.
I know one can be off their game if they have a cold. But, it wasn't the sound of Biden's voice that was disturbing, it was his inability to make a clear, articulate, forceful argument that sounded like he understood or believed it. Again, I get the cold thing. But, Biden never got put through his paces in 2020. COVID allowed him to communicate via recorded videos and avoid the press. Once he won the presidency, he seemingly has had fewer press conferences than any president in my lifetime. Why? Is it because his policies won't stand up to scrutiny? Or because he can't make the argument for them in an adversarial situation? And, I think that's the difference between last night and today's rally.
I can't be the only person in this country who has been saying (to anyone willing to listen) that Biden needs to 'do an LBJ' and withdraw from the race. His polling has been consistently awful. His stubborn, heartless (potentially criminal) insistence on giving weapons to Israel that he knows will intentionally be used on civilians has lost him any chance at Michigan. I thought this last Halloween, when it was evident that he was on board with the ethnic cleansing of Gaza.
This, at best. will be a close election. For my entire life, the debates have been the premier, memorable events of presidential elections. For those who don't follow politics much, it's all they have to remember, or visualize, a candidate by. We're now told that a transcript would show Biden won the debate. We're told the same about Nixon; but Kennedy won the election. I can remember the air coming out of the balloon for Gerry Ford when he blew the answer on Eastern Europe. Reagan pointing to Jimmy Carter, "there he goes again!" Reagan disarming the younger Mondale, with his joke. Dukakis giving a professorial, bloodless, answer regarding the death penalty. It may not be fair, but these debates are not college bowls, they are attempts to gain power. Perception matters. And last night, the guy who lied for 90 minutes straight, looked more "presidential".
One of my nephews, a perceptive young man, pulled me aside at Easter. "We're fucked, aren't we?" Last night, a third of the way through, he texted me, "We're doomed." There was no question mark this time.
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