Yes, some were saying it would be the biggest prize fight ever, something akin to the Thrilla from Manila, or Ali-Frazier. Some wondered whether the president could survive 15 rounds going toe-to-toe with his arch enemy.
Once the pre-game show was over we were live in Georgia. Moderators Dana Bash and Jake Tapper looked ready to go.
The President walks to the podium looking lost.
The former president is introduced and walks out looking testy.
The opening. The heavyweights have entered the ring.
President Biden sounds hoarse. Trump, the former president, appears restrained, makes an effort to appear friendly while wearing his traditional scowl. I turn to the peanut gallery (X, formerly known as Twitter) and listen to the comments.
* * *
--This has to be a set up to get rid of Biden! DEMs want him gone and have allowed this humiliating debate! Mission accomplished!
--One has to think they allowed this to happen so they could have reason to replace him at the convention. Seriously that was painful to watch.
--Really America?
Are those your only options?
--What a terrible time to stop drinking. #debatenight
--https://x.com/rustyrockets/status/1806527566490067351
* * * *
Analysis
Many in the media were ready for this, but some Americans were not. Had they be reading and listening to media from a wide spectrum of viewpoints, they would have known how much the President's mental acuity has deteriorated. The majority of mainstream media seemed determined to conceal Biden's public rambles and muddled moments while conservative commentators, podcasters and radio hosts collected these clumsy stumbles for highlight reels.
When articles commenting on President Biden's declining mental faculties would appear in the Wall Street Journal or elsewhere, you could count on immediate denials from a Liberal source saying, "It ain't so." (I think here of how the media avoided showing FDR in a wheelchair lest he appear weak.)
Now the question is why Dem insiders aware of his decline allowed this debate to happen at this time. Can it be that the first debate took place so early in this year's election cycle in order to set up a maneuver at the Dem's National Convention in Chicago this year?
Conservatives have been making hay with the polls showing Trump ahead in swing states. The fact that his lead is only marginal should be a signal that all is not well in the "Grand Old Party" either. Will Trump as candidate make it easier or harder for Republicans further down the food chain?
* * * *
The response to Biden's performance was swift. "Joe, maybe it's time to hang up your cleats." Four of the five stories in today Atlantic enews skewered the President. The influential New York Times editorial board made an appeal for Biden to step out of the way.
Trump, who is accustomed to making news simply by being outrageous, was overshadowed by the swirl surrounding the President's embarrassingly poor showing. This was to be Joe Biden's moment. Unfortunately, with the bases loaded he struck out.
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