If anyone watched last night’s debate, slept horribly, and woke up in a foul mood… I’m so sorry, and please accept this virtual hug.
I opted to pass. Needed a solid night’s sleep, have a history of being bullied as a child/teen, and it just seemed that nothing good was going to come from Joe Biden attempting to debate a sociopath.
The debate, from all accounts, went even worse than I’d guessed it would. Steve Schmidt’s take on it and Van Jones’ take on it and Kos’ take on it, featured here on front page and Recommended/Trending List, tell the gory details.
But did it make any difference, move any votes? Signs say yes, slightly.. in favor of Joe Biden. The headlines (link goes to today’s DKos Pundit Roundup). This undecided voter who thought Trump acted “like a crackhead.” This movement in the overnight betting pools online.
David Frum, former and repentant GOP speechwriter now writing for The Atlantic, summarizes the whole thing quite well this morning. Key quotes:
Correction: Trump did one thing. On the Cleveland stage, Trump communicated that he will seize any opportunity to disrupt the vote and resist the outcome. He communicated more forcefully than ever that the only security the country has for a constitutional future is that Biden wins by the largest possible margin.
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Biden may be faded from what he was: perhaps less crisp, less sharp, less fast. But when Biden spoke, he spoke to and about America. Trump spoke only about his wounded ego. Biden communicated: I care about you. Trump communicated: I hate everybody. Biden succeeded in putting his most important messages on record: your health care, your job, your right to equal respect, regardless of race or creed—all against Trump’s disregard and disrespect. Trump might have imagined that he projected himself as strong. The whole world witnessed instead the destructive rage of a bully confronting impending defeat.
Related, and I’m curious…. did your social media feed (Facebook, Twitter, etc) indicate, like mine did, that a significant % of people pointedly refused to watch? I wonder what the viewership will be for debates #2 and #3. It is a shame that Joe Biden has to be subjected to this in order to win the presidency. But win he will. Early voting is already underway in several states and it’s about to take off in a lot more come next week (within 30 days of Election Day).
I really think Frum is on point, and so many others saying similar are also correct. Trump is losing, he knows he is losing, and his always-be-attacking strategy is failing, and he’s got nothing else. So instead of trying to persuade us regular Americans out here to vote for him, he’s mostly like a furious child threatening to flip the whole gameboard and table, and getting ready to condemn the result and call for civil war when he loses.
Hang in there everybody. Just keep going. Self-care will be vital. Watch the next two debates only if you can psychically afford to. Get the hot takes afterward if that’s easier for you.
But the chart above doesn’t lie. The cake is baked. Trump will be gone from power very soon. We will prevail.
