I gave Biden a “D” not because of his politics or policy plans but because of what he did not say or do. Not only was he unable to mount an offense, his defense was weak. At one point in the debate the question had turned to China. Nevertheless, Biden turned to face the camera and the viewing audience and launched into an obviously prepared set piece about ordinary people sitting around their kitchen tables.
The President immediately caught him up and said something like, “What happened to China? How did we get to the kitchen table.?” Then came the stunning and devastating blow:
“You’re just a politician.”
It was even more stunning because the President uttered it calmly and matter of factly. He did not raise his voice, there was no malice and maybe even a hint of sadness. “You’re a politician.” It was a slap in the face and Biden just took it.
When the discussion turned to the enrichment of the Biden family by deals in the Ukraine and China, the President calmly called Biden a “crooked politician,” and again there was no response. Biden just took it.
Later, the President doubled down. In response to Biden’s repeated claims that there were many things wrong in America and that he had “plans” to fix them, the President said, “Joe, you had eight years to fix them. You did nothing.” And then came the crusher: “Joe, you are the reason I ran four years ago. If you hadn’t done such a bad job, I would never have run for the Presidency.”
Slap, slap, slap. Incredibly Biden did not respond. He just stood there and took this damning indictment. He could only bring himself to mutter something like, “I was only Vice-President.” In effect, he threw his old boss, former President Obama, under the bus.
I would have given the President an “A” except for the fact that he failed to capitalize on a great opportunity at the end.
For her last question Kristen Welker, the moderator lobbed this softball at both candidates. I paraphrase but she asked, “Assuming you won the election, what would you say in your inaugural address to those who had voted against you?” It seemed to me that both gave a stock answer and that the President settled for a single when he could have hit the ball out of the park.
He should have been prepared to say, when given such an opportunity, “I know that many of you who voted against me do not like me. Many even hate me. I know that you will not believe anything I say. But I am reminded of the conman’s attempt to trick his victim: ‘Who ae you gonna believe, me or your own two eyes?’ I will not ask you to believe me, but in the next four years I will ask you to use your own two eyes in looking at the actual work of my administration.
Just look through your own eyes and not through the eyes of the media which no longer brings you straight, unfiltered, no-spin news. Use your own eyes to see how you, your family, your neighbors, and your community are doing. Are your own sons and daughters fighting in endless foreign wars, or are they coming home at last? Is a vaccine available to all for the coronavirus? Is the air and water in your community clean and healthy? Are your childrens' schools open and safe? Are you financially more secure? How is your 401k and IRA doing? Has your home increased in value?
Is the America that you see every day as bad as my opponents claim? Most of you live in communities that are the envy of the world. That is why so many people want to come here. Etc. etc.
I watched the debate until the end when the candidates’ wives joined their husbands on stage. It was really sad to see Joe Biden’s wife join her 78-year-old husband after this long ordeal. What could she have been thinking?
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