Biden Vs. Trump
Joe Biden is too old.
The debate last night not only cemented this narrative, but it also showcased Joe Biden’s inability to coherently articulate a message for the American people or counter any of Donald Trump’s arguments.
My heart breaks as an American who enjoys assessing and understanding our political history. We used to have Presidents who called for the downfall of communism, led our troops against Nazism, called for the abolition of slavery, and fought to free our Republic from British monarchy. Simultaneously, we had prior iterations of Congress that passed landmark legislation and made deals across party lines. This debate showcased that these moments are disappearing. Instead, we have two unfit candidates who would rather debate their golf game than the actual needs of the American people.
The biggest issue for Joe Biden was not that he had a bad night (that was abundantly clear), but that we have to imagine what a Joe Biden presidency looks like 4 years from this point. World leaders are already showcasing concerns about Joe Biden’s capacity to negotiate with the likes of Vladimir Putin and Xi Xing Ping, or lead the world towards prosperity rather than autocracy. Can we imagine the conversations these leaders are going to be having when this man is 85?!
Democrats need to have an honest conversation with themselves and the President about what their next steps will be. Will Joe Biden remain on the ticket despite a number of red flags? Will he be exchanged at an open convention (not seen since the 1960s)? Or, will he personally step aside and coronate Kamala Harris in his stead? All options should be on the table, and only time will tell if those options will truly be considered.
The Trump camp should be looking at this performance with a mixture of caution and jubilation. On the one hand, Trump succeeded in contrasting himself as a candidate who is at least capable of forming a sentence, and he should expect to see polling swing in his direction. He also was able to articulate a message to the American people that Joe Biden’s presidency has been one of chaos, disorder, and poor economic conditions while his was one of progress and growth. This message is definitely up for debate; however, Biden was unable to counter this message with anything substantive.
On the other hand, Trump’s advisors may be concerned that he did too well. Trump’s best path towards the presidency is through Joe Biden, and a Biden replacement may be able to swing the election towards the Democratic camp. Gavin Newsom or Gretchen Whitmer would be a much more difficult opponent for Donald Trump to go up against in future debates. These individuals are younger, more attractive to a American voters (broadly speaking), and are capable of forming coherent counter-argument’s to Trump’s statements. Democrats may actually find themselves in a much better polling position if they end up replacing Joe Biden at the 11th hour through convention shenanigans in the upcoming weeks.
This debate showcased numerous things about our current political situation. We are living in a unique moment in American history. Turning points abound with technological advances, Russian and Chinese aggression, and the potential for economic recession. Instead of having capable leaders who are young, vibrant, and full of ideas for how to navigate these turning points we have two men who are old, out of touch, and unable to present confidence on the world stage. Joe Biden just happens to be the man who appears older and more out of touch than his opponent.