Thank you. I am already tired of those who say they are Democrats & who propose that Biden should step down now. WTF? Really? This is just a bump in the road. I don’t think that Trump (& no, he’s not President Trump, he’s either former or Mr.) spoke one truthful sentence the entire time, & he certainly didn’t propose any policies. Let’s talk about that!
1/ Why the Dem freakout after the debate? We are all traumatized by 2016, and the debate triggered our collective trauma. "No! Not again!" Hence the panic.
2/ Where does the panic come from? Is it fear that Joe can't do the job? No. Because we know he can. He's done it for 3.5 years at the highest possible level. The government is in good hands with Joe/Kamala.
3/ The panic comes from fear that he'll lose. That's what the panic is. And the only way we lose is if we splinter.
4/ Splintering is what Jabba the Trump wants, which is why he Gish-galloped his way through that ugly debate. He and his allies at CNN and the NYT clearly want that.
5/ How to move forward? Unity. Unity now. Unity. If we are united, and accept the leadership of the best president of our lifetime, we will not lose. On the contrary, we shall prevail.
The alt-right Billionaires have spent millions of dollars to divide us. They do not want a united front. Division buys them votes. Leonard Leo and his gang of Christian Fascists thugs want an autocratic government. We are panicking!! Like breathe in a paper bag panic. Agent Orange can't win.
Thank you for your measured and balanced summary. To be honest I think Biden's biggest mistake was not anticipating being ambushed by the format and behavior of cast members Trump, Tapper and Bash and was the primary reason he appeared to be so befuddled in the first 15-20 minutes. With all of his knowledge and experience I don't believe he ever dealt with this kind of energy in a public forum and he his "struggling" was his efforts to navigate from "WTF" to dealing with the lies hostility not just from Trump but Tapper and Bash as well. He underestimated the perfidy of the media and the set up which contributed to the chaos. CNN set him up to fail. That's my take and I do agree he appeared to be weak and fumbling for a few minutes.
And as always the people I follow on Black Twitter got it right and the general message I got was "Put on your big boy/girl pants, White People and stop whining."
Pretty good take. I listened to Rep. Jasmine Crockett's response last night, which basically reiterated what was on Black Twitter: time to step up and take it to them.
Thank you, Greg, for alleviating my fears over last night’s debate. It was frightening. Tapper and Bash are faux liberals whom project themselves to be keen observers of the human condition. They are anything except—THAT! They corporate media whores, whom reap untold salaries that the rest of we plebeians could only dream of! You are like a rainbow after a human induced inclement weather event!! Again, thank goodness for YOUR voice to set us back on our feet..
Van Jones appropriately capitulated on his first remarks, which expressed his initial sadness about Biden’s “performance.” He later said the Rs will stand by their candidate even if he’s a liar, a cheat, and even if he’s a convicted felon! All Biden did was have a weak night at the debate on style points. His service to America and his grip on reality must be the voters’ first—and last—consideration.
Additionally, Harris came on forcefully when she articulated the importance of looking at the substance of Biden’s remarks and the accomplishments of his presidency. She is definitely up to the job.
I don't remember his saying that, but he may have. He was almost in tears--I think his was the first reaction of the panel. He came back later and said that he had just received several notes from his people and had his butt whooped by them. He made a long and excellent argument based on those comments. He looked much happier after that.
Too bad you, Greg - and others who I have read - were not invited to be part of the debate prep for Biden beforehand. You may have read Joyce Vance's latest. Let me quote part of it here:
"I asked some young people if they and their friends were paying attention to the debate. The bottom line was that while some of them wanted to watch it, most people weren’t paying attention—the election is still too far away. But when I asked whether they were going to vote for Biden, the response was clear: 'Of course.' Sure, they think Biden is old. They don’t like all of his policies. But, 'We’re not stupid,' they told me. 'We understand what’s at stake.' These young people, who get that they have the most to lose if Trump wins, are prepared to do what’s necessary in November."
I would have prepped him by saying come out, announce that you won't debase yourself or the presidency by sharing the stage with a criminal insurrectionist bully, and walk proudly out the door. Tell me how that would have been a worse outcome than what we saw?
As always, appreciate the levity your analysis provides. My take, virtually any of us who are political news junkies could’ve “beaten” Donald Trump on the substance, but could we run the country as effectively as Joe Biden, hell no. But, as VP Harris effectively demonstrated, she is not only capable of winning a debate with Trump, she’s capable of leading the country. Humility’s a virtue I know Biden has, it’s time to reflect on passing the torch.
He will pass the torch when he's ready, and that will be after he wins in November. I have said for years now that he will retire and hand her the car keys, and that's part of the reason I support him.
Good take, Greg. The only takeaway for me - Joe should fire his campaign leaders and bring in a whole new team. Whoever conceived and approved this format, and thought it would be good for their candidate, in the face of a master propagandist and serial liar has failed massively. That's who I'm angry at and I hope Joe will take action.
The old man needs advisors who will guide his campaign in this new era. He has a pretty good set of advisors for governing (some areas could be better for me, of course), but a campaign is a different beast. Here's a crazy idea - Pete Buttigieg resigns the cabinet and takes over the campaign. Someone who knows how to slay. That's my takeaway. I approve this message.
Joel, I think you have a fine idea. From this point on, there needs to be a serious strategic attack on Trump. The trials will each be set ups; then knock him down further, show him for what he is. Embarrass the cult.
Thanks, Joel. I agree. They allowed him to wander into the lion's den. Or, rather, Jabba's den. Any of the ways I suggested he head into the debate would have been better than what happened. This is NOT a normal campaign. They all need to stop pretending otherwise.
Thank you for your words. I knew this was going to be a shitshow. I proceeded to buy some craft beer and watch Leslie Jones live on Instagram give her commentary on the debate. She was hysterical. 🤣🤣 She said she would never ever give an interview with Tapper or CNN for that matter. My younger family members were disgusted with the whole thing.
The functionally illiterate will celebrate King Shitpants. Whatever, they can wheel Joe in the White House with an oxygen mask on and I will still vote for Democracy.
I don't know. My excuse, my rebuttal to a couple of cheering Trumper on "X" was that, if the age haters are right, then neither candidate is competent, and neither will survive to end of term, so better vote for Biden's competent team rather than Trump's power-hungry, criminal thugs.
But my fear level now beats my hope. We pro-sanity folk can sit here convincing ourselves that last night is survivable, but do we need any votes from The Undecided? If yes, then surely the Democrats have a qualified candidate who can do visibly better than a lying criminal in not only substance but style? I mean...don't they?
I use "they" rather than "we" because I'm a registered Independent, trying to see all perspectives despite being terrified by the red/orange one. I keep meeting more and more voters turned off by Biden. Now, after last night, I have to ask: why, precisely, are Democrat power brokers taking so much risk with democracy? Yes, Biden is by far the better President, but cold, harsh reality: how many people vote based on looks and personality over substance? Must we test that? Can't they find a candidate who has both substance AND personal appeal? Surely they can? If so, does loyalty/stubbornness "trump" safety? Or can they not, in which case, what would THAT mean??
I fear last night tipped the scale, and I wonder: have Democrat leaders, also, become a cult that can't see and let go?
My remaining hope is that enough of The Undecided were repulsed by Trump's volume of lies. Seems a scary-slim hope, but I'll keep reading, to be convinced I've merely grown paranoid. You can do it! I know you can! So I fervently hope the book sells a zillion copies!
There's a reason all presidential campaigns in the last five or six decades have all concentrated in the last months of a campaign on core issues: that hits the majority of voters, including independents. The bread-and-butter issues, medicare and SS, the security of the future (including national security, NATO and EU) and trust play increasing bigger roles with the average voter who doesn't pay much attention til late in the game. You are a little paranoid.
Paranoid. Distinct possibility. Although I'm not aware of anything ever on the ballot in these United States even remotely like Donald Trump, so I hesitate to lean on history. The Titanic couldn't sink. But any psychological port in a storm, go for it!
I understand your concerns but let's consider a sports metaphor. In the World Series there are 7 games with the winner needing to win 4 to take the series. That means there are a minimum of 36 innings before a winner is decided. One debate is like one game or even one inning. There is a long way to go.
I've seen plenty of sports and political examples where a team or candidate just got blasted in one game or debate and all the experts said the series was over, the candidate was done, etc., etc. But you know what I've also seen? Almost every time, the one game/debate loser re-set, refocused, and most times came back to win. Biden's performance was bad but the word is he was fighting a cold and while trying to rebut Dump's lies. His strategy may have been bad but his energy compounded his problems. I expect Biden and his advisors to ride hard on his performance and come back with the passion and power he displayed at this year's State of the Union address.
I don't know. Biden didn't commit just any old foul; he made The Error -- the one that the Trumpire has been calling since before the game began. But I still hope your right. I'm just not feeling World Series. More like Mudville.
He looked old and slow out there, he bricked his free throws, it took him too long to warm up. But it's the first game in a long series, as you say. Exactly that.
Everyone felt that jolt after. No one who watched the debate was immune. This is what I said on the show last night, after a lot of discussion and contemplation:
1/ Why the Dem freakout after the debate? We are all traumatized by 2016, and the debate triggered our collective trauma. "No! Not again!" Hence the panic.
2/ Where does the panic come from? Is it fear that Joe can't do the job? No. Because we know he can. He's done it for 3.5 years at the highest possible level. The government is in good hands with Joe/Kamala.
3/ The panic comes from fear that he'll lose. That's what the panic is. And the only way we lose is if we splinter.
4/ Splintering is what Jabba the Trump wants, which is why he Gish-galloped his way through that ugly debate. He and his allies at CNN and the NYT clearly want that.
5/ How to move forward? Unity. Unity now. Unity. If we are united, and accept the leadership of the best president of our lifetime, we will not lose. On the contrary, we shall prevail.
Tapper and Bash...sums it up nicely.
They chose money and airtime and cushy lifestyle over democracy. Fuck them both forever.
Tapper once upon a time was good at his job. Anyhow, I feel your pain. The next decade will shock us, I think. I wonder if any of us is truly ready.
Thank you. I am already tired of those who say they are Democrats & who propose that Biden should step down now. WTF? Really? This is just a bump in the road. I don’t think that Trump (& no, he’s not President Trump, he’s either former or Mr.) spoke one truthful sentence the entire time, & he certainly didn’t propose any policies. Let’s talk about that!
Yes. The "Democrats Eating Their Own" meme has entered the national chat!
I talked about this on the show, but here:
1/ Why the Dem freakout after the debate? We are all traumatized by 2016, and the debate triggered our collective trauma. "No! Not again!" Hence the panic.
2/ Where does the panic come from? Is it fear that Joe can't do the job? No. Because we know he can. He's done it for 3.5 years at the highest possible level. The government is in good hands with Joe/Kamala.
3/ The panic comes from fear that he'll lose. That's what the panic is. And the only way we lose is if we splinter.
4/ Splintering is what Jabba the Trump wants, which is why he Gish-galloped his way through that ugly debate. He and his allies at CNN and the NYT clearly want that.
5/ How to move forward? Unity. Unity now. Unity. If we are united, and accept the leadership of the best president of our lifetime, we will not lose. On the contrary, we shall prevail.
Excellent! 🤩
The alt-right Billionaires have spent millions of dollars to divide us. They do not want a united front. Division buys them votes. Leonard Leo and his gang of Christian Fascists thugs want an autocratic government. We are panicking!! Like breathe in a paper bag panic. Agent Orange can't win.
Thank you for your measured and balanced summary. To be honest I think Biden's biggest mistake was not anticipating being ambushed by the format and behavior of cast members Trump, Tapper and Bash and was the primary reason he appeared to be so befuddled in the first 15-20 minutes. With all of his knowledge and experience I don't believe he ever dealt with this kind of energy in a public forum and he his "struggling" was his efforts to navigate from "WTF" to dealing with the lies hostility not just from Trump but Tapper and Bash as well. He underestimated the perfidy of the media and the set up which contributed to the chaos. CNN set him up to fail. That's my take and I do agree he appeared to be weak and fumbling for a few minutes.
And as always the people I follow on Black Twitter got it right and the general message I got was "Put on your big boy/girl pants, White People and stop whining."
Pretty good take. I listened to Rep. Jasmine Crockett's response last night, which basically reiterated what was on Black Twitter: time to step up and take it to them.
Amen.
He should never have agreed to share the stage with that criminal insurrectionist. That was his error.
Thank you, Greg, for alleviating my fears over last night’s debate. It was frightening. Tapper and Bash are faux liberals whom project themselves to be keen observers of the human condition. They are anything except—THAT! They corporate media whores, whom reap untold salaries that the rest of we plebeians could only dream of! You are like a rainbow after a human induced inclement weather event!! Again, thank goodness for YOUR voice to set us back on our feet..
Thanks, Laura. After last night, I don't see how we can trust them ever again to deliver objective news. They might as well change careers.
Typo “They’re..,” so sorry! Written with emotion..
Don't ever worry about typos, please!
Van Jones appropriately capitulated on his first remarks, which expressed his initial sadness about Biden’s “performance.” He later said the Rs will stand by their candidate even if he’s a liar, a cheat, and even if he’s a convicted felon! All Biden did was have a weak night at the debate on style points. His service to America and his grip on reality must be the voters’ first—and last—consideration.
Additionally, Harris came on forcefully when she articulated the importance of looking at the substance of Biden’s remarks and the accomplishments of his presidency. She is definitely up to the job.
Did Jones also say that last night trump became president? The media is so broken.
We need more Kamala now. Lots of Kamala. Really good they had her on.
I don't remember his saying that, but he may have. He was almost in tears--I think his was the first reaction of the panel. He came back later and said that he had just received several notes from his people and had his butt whooped by them. He made a long and excellent argument based on those comments. He looked much happier after that.
And yes...More Kamala!
Too bad you, Greg - and others who I have read - were not invited to be part of the debate prep for Biden beforehand. You may have read Joyce Vance's latest. Let me quote part of it here:
"I asked some young people if they and their friends were paying attention to the debate. The bottom line was that while some of them wanted to watch it, most people weren’t paying attention—the election is still too far away. But when I asked whether they were going to vote for Biden, the response was clear: 'Of course.' Sure, they think Biden is old. They don’t like all of his policies. But, 'We’re not stupid,' they told me. 'We understand what’s at stake.' These young people, who get that they have the most to lose if Trump wins, are prepared to do what’s necessary in November."
I would have prepped him by saying come out, announce that you won't debase yourself or the presidency by sharing the stage with a criminal insurrectionist bully, and walk proudly out the door. Tell me how that would have been a worse outcome than what we saw?
Black and brown JOBS! WTF ! I’m still going to vote for Biden. What ever that was last night was not a debate.
He also said, "And we knock on wood wherever we may have wood." My wife and I laughed out loud at that.
Last night, 15 mins into debate, I was doomscrolling right along with you, Greg.
You are correct. The bully in the room was not there for any political debate. He was on attack, spouting lie after lie.
The fact that the bully wasn’t controlled by moderators or required to state facts set in reality, was absolutely shameful.
#LockHimUp
Biden was sandbagged. That was an ambush. I don't blame him for his performance, but rather for his judgment in sharing the stage with that rapist.
As always, appreciate the levity your analysis provides. My take, virtually any of us who are political news junkies could’ve “beaten” Donald Trump on the substance, but could we run the country as effectively as Joe Biden, hell no. But, as VP Harris effectively demonstrated, she is not only capable of winning a debate with Trump, she’s capable of leading the country. Humility’s a virtue I know Biden has, it’s time to reflect on passing the torch.
He will pass the torch when he's ready, and that will be after he wins in November. I have said for years now that he will retire and hand her the car keys, and that's part of the reason I support him.
Good take, Greg. The only takeaway for me - Joe should fire his campaign leaders and bring in a whole new team. Whoever conceived and approved this format, and thought it would be good for their candidate, in the face of a master propagandist and serial liar has failed massively. That's who I'm angry at and I hope Joe will take action.
The old man needs advisors who will guide his campaign in this new era. He has a pretty good set of advisors for governing (some areas could be better for me, of course), but a campaign is a different beast. Here's a crazy idea - Pete Buttigieg resigns the cabinet and takes over the campaign. Someone who knows how to slay. That's my takeaway. I approve this message.
Joel, I think you have a fine idea. From this point on, there needs to be a serious strategic attack on Trump. The trials will each be set ups; then knock him down further, show him for what he is. Embarrass the cult.
There is no debating a serial liar and bully.
Exactly. Especially when the refs swallow the whistles.
Thanks, Joel. I agree. They allowed him to wander into the lion's den. Or, rather, Jabba's den. Any of the ways I suggested he head into the debate would have been better than what happened. This is NOT a normal campaign. They all need to stop pretending otherwise.
Debate? What debate? I've already forgotten it. Useless waste of everyone's time and attention.
I don't think it had any real affect, one way or another.
People will forget, absolutely. But man, there was some triggered trauma.
Thank you for your words. I knew this was going to be a shitshow. I proceeded to buy some craft beer and watch Leslie Jones live on Instagram give her commentary on the debate. She was hysterical. 🤣🤣 She said she would never ever give an interview with Tapper or CNN for that matter. My younger family members were disgusted with the whole thing.
The functionally illiterate will celebrate King Shitpants. Whatever, they can wheel Joe in the White House with an oxygen mask on and I will still vote for Democracy.
OMG, I wish I'd known Leslie Jones was commenting live on Insta!
but he was so strong, Lisa. He projected such strength!
Just kidding, obvs. I hope young people are smart enough to tell bullying from power.
I don't know. My excuse, my rebuttal to a couple of cheering Trumper on "X" was that, if the age haters are right, then neither candidate is competent, and neither will survive to end of term, so better vote for Biden's competent team rather than Trump's power-hungry, criminal thugs.
But my fear level now beats my hope. We pro-sanity folk can sit here convincing ourselves that last night is survivable, but do we need any votes from The Undecided? If yes, then surely the Democrats have a qualified candidate who can do visibly better than a lying criminal in not only substance but style? I mean...don't they?
I use "they" rather than "we" because I'm a registered Independent, trying to see all perspectives despite being terrified by the red/orange one. I keep meeting more and more voters turned off by Biden. Now, after last night, I have to ask: why, precisely, are Democrat power brokers taking so much risk with democracy? Yes, Biden is by far the better President, but cold, harsh reality: how many people vote based on looks and personality over substance? Must we test that? Can't they find a candidate who has both substance AND personal appeal? Surely they can? If so, does loyalty/stubbornness "trump" safety? Or can they not, in which case, what would THAT mean??
I fear last night tipped the scale, and I wonder: have Democrat leaders, also, become a cult that can't see and let go?
My remaining hope is that enough of The Undecided were repulsed by Trump's volume of lies. Seems a scary-slim hope, but I'll keep reading, to be convinced I've merely grown paranoid. You can do it! I know you can! So I fervently hope the book sells a zillion copies!
There's a reason all presidential campaigns in the last five or six decades have all concentrated in the last months of a campaign on core issues: that hits the majority of voters, including independents. The bread-and-butter issues, medicare and SS, the security of the future (including national security, NATO and EU) and trust play increasing bigger roles with the average voter who doesn't pay much attention til late in the game. You are a little paranoid.
Paranoid. Distinct possibility. Although I'm not aware of anything ever on the ballot in these United States even remotely like Donald Trump, so I hesitate to lean on history. The Titanic couldn't sink. But any psychological port in a storm, go for it!
Not paranoid. Traumatized. This comes from 2016 trauma, IMO. And we ALL suffer from it.
I understand your concerns but let's consider a sports metaphor. In the World Series there are 7 games with the winner needing to win 4 to take the series. That means there are a minimum of 36 innings before a winner is decided. One debate is like one game or even one inning. There is a long way to go.
I've seen plenty of sports and political examples where a team or candidate just got blasted in one game or debate and all the experts said the series was over, the candidate was done, etc., etc. But you know what I've also seen? Almost every time, the one game/debate loser re-set, refocused, and most times came back to win. Biden's performance was bad but the word is he was fighting a cold and while trying to rebut Dump's lies. His strategy may have been bad but his energy compounded his problems. I expect Biden and his advisors to ride hard on his performance and come back with the passion and power he displayed at this year's State of the Union address.
I don't know. Biden didn't commit just any old foul; he made The Error -- the one that the Trumpire has been calling since before the game began. But I still hope your right. I'm just not feeling World Series. More like Mudville.
Ah, but who is more like Casey at the Bat? Because that is a Trumpian figure if ever there was one.
It's true, the ego, etc. So I am definitely rooting for the Orange Ego to strike out.
He looked old and slow out there, he bricked his free throws, it took him too long to warm up. But it's the first game in a long series, as you say. Exactly that.
Everyone felt that jolt after. No one who watched the debate was immune. This is what I said on the show last night, after a lot of discussion and contemplation:
1/ Why the Dem freakout after the debate? We are all traumatized by 2016, and the debate triggered our collective trauma. "No! Not again!" Hence the panic.
2/ Where does the panic come from? Is it fear that Joe can't do the job? No. Because we know he can. He's done it for 3.5 years at the highest possible level. The government is in good hands with Joe/Kamala.
3/ The panic comes from fear that he'll lose. That's what the panic is. And the only way we lose is if we splinter.
4/ Splintering is what Jabba the Trump wants, which is why he Gish-galloped his way through that ugly debate. He and his allies at CNN and the NYT clearly want that.
5/ How to move forward? Unity. Unity now. Unity. If we are united, and accept the leadership of the best president of our lifetime, we will not lose. On the contrary, we shall prevail.
I like the term ‘False Equivalency.’ Like labeling Abe L. and Adolf H. great leaders.
We stupidly elevated don T. I liked your scenario better Greg O. Thanks. Good one!
Billserle.com
Well put, Bill.
Brilliant, thank you!