Tuesday's presidential debate will test Trump's assertions about Biden's mental state
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Trump’s attacks on Joe Biden’s mental state are cruel, unsubstantiated and detestable.
But they’re also effective. With the president pounding the dementia message into voters’ heads steadily for months, it’s no surprise that many Democrats and independents are now secretly worried about what will happen when the two presidential candidates finally meet in person at Tuesday’s debate in Cleveland.
Perhaps the former vice president really has been in a decline! Maybe he has been hiding in his basement!
“Sleepy Joe doesn’t know where he is or what he’s doing,” Trump has said repeatedly. The Democratic nominee “doesn’t know he’s alive.” He’s weak, he’s tired and if he wins in November, Trump says, “they’re going to put him into a home and other people are going to be running the country.”
Trump’s attack dogs have amplified the message. Sean Hannity says Biden’s “in a rapid state of decline.” Tucker Carlson says he has “clearly lost it.” A conservative columnist in Boston called him “a few fries short of a Happy Meal.”
These are not empty taunts or throwaway insults — they’re part of a concerted campaign strategy to frighten voters about Biden’s mental health.
The result? According to a Rasmussen Reports poll from the end of June — the latest I’ve seen on the subject — 38% of all voters and 20% of Democrats believe Biden has dementia.
But now, it’s time for the real test. At Tuesday’s debate, Biden‘s cognitive condition will be on public display for all to see. He will not be scripted or protected by handlers, as he was during the convention. Trump will undoubtedly be on the attack, unburdened by either civility or honesty.
So let the show begin.
President Trump and Joe Biden will hold their first of three debates on Tuesday. How are they preparing?
Now I don’t want to be naive. Biden, 77, would be the oldest president ever inaugurated, and he has no doubt slowed down in recent years, whatever that means. He still stumbles over words (which defenders often attribute to the remnants of a childhood stutter) and sometimes gets numbers wrong. We’ve all seen the word flubs — like the time he called himself an “O’Biden-Bama Democrat“ instead of an “Obama-Biden Democrat.”
On the other hand, he’s acquitted himself well in the race so far. His performance at the Democratic convention was strong and effective, though most of that was following a script. He performed well in his one-on-one debate with Bernie Sanders in March; that was heartening.
“I can hardly wait to compare my cognitive capability to the cognitive capability of the man I’m running against,” Biden said earlier this year.
I’m looking forward to it too. For one thing, I want to reassure myself. But I frankly find it hard to imagine that the Biden I’ve been watching will crumble under Trump’s jabs, no matter how far below the belt he hits.
Three additional points:
First, as a matter of pure political strategy, Trump may have set the bar too low. If voters expect a candidate who doesn’t know where he is and belongs in a “home,” all Biden will have to do is walk unassisted onto the stage wearing his underwear beneath rather than over his pants — and he will have passed the test set for him.
I’m not saying that’s what we want in a candidate. Just that the bar is low.
Second, let’s remember this isn’t a referendum on Biden but a comparative race. Plenty of voters would vastly prefer an aging and even declining Biden to Trump operating at 100%. Biden has empathy, four decades of political experience, smart people around him — and Trump, even at his intellectual zenith, would have been an abysmal president.
Third, Trump is the last person who should be calling anyone old or inarticulate or “out of it.” Only 3½ years younger than Biden, he currently holds the record for oldest president ever inaugurated. Last week, he confused “herd mentality” with “herd immunity.” In speaking, he is digressive, babbling, imprecise, solipsistic.
Consider this remarkable answer to a softball from Sean Hannity about his top priorities for a second term:
“Well, one of the things that will be really great, you know, the word experience is still good. I always say talent is more important than experience. I’ve always said that. But the word experience is a very important word. It’s a very important meaning. I never did this before — I never slept over in Washington. I was in Washington I think 17 times, all of the sudden, I’m president of the United States. You know the story. I’m riding down Pennsylvania Avenue with our first lady and I say, ‘This is great.’ But I didn’t know very many people in Washington, it wasn’t my thing. I was from Manhattan....”
Joel Benenson, former chief pollster for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton (and a former colleague of mine in both newspapers and politics), says Biden doesn’t need to be on the defensive at the debate.
“Biden’s job is to drive the message that is the foundation of his campaign,” Benenson says. “In 2016, Trump was the antiestablishment candidate. Now he’s the owner of a pandemic that’s killed more than 200,000 Americans. Biden’s got to hold him accountable — as uncaring, lacking in empathy and compassion, and unable to unite the country at a time when people are hungry for that.”
God, would I love to see that. I believe it matters a great deal to voters to see Biden take on this president clearly, cogently and forcefully on the great moral, political and economic challenges that face our country. If he can do that, Donald Trump will be defeated.
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forgot something
Trump doesn't know how to do anything thing, but, swindle. Trump does not debate. He bullies, goes off the rail, avoids answering the question, and spends all of his time THROWING CHUNKS
of rancid, red meats to his base of baseless supporters.
And Donald is so childishly obvious in lying. Even a baby can tell that foolish man is untrustworthy. And yet the media keeps smashing their damn heads in trying to substantiate clear and present lies, as if they don't know how to process BS as BS.
My suggestion to the Democratic Party: Get back more raw political power and you too can smash heads and take names! And democrats 'bear down' and let some of these weak ass television segments pass by you. Think!
LOL! Now that is a funny meme! Good point as well.
I saw one the other day that was similar.
When someone tells me they are a Liberal... I ask !!!
Classic Liberal... or Democrat Liberal?...
Let's keep in mind - the debates are for about 5% of the voters who apparently have yet to make up their minds. I figure they might sway 2% out of the 5%.
Biden could doze off and I would still vote for him. I vote for the party platform - not the candidate.
Trump could walk on water and I still would not vote for him. (If he keeps gutting EPA water rules - he might actually find a river he could walk on - if he moves rather sprightly and wears protective gear.)
Yeah...like a Class A HazMat suit. Do you think they come in his size?
I will NEVER vote for Donald Trump. He is just such a shitty human being all around, that I will never support him.
Donald Trump is disgusting human being who has been picking fights with different groups of people his whole life. Take back our consciousness: NOW!
So you are writing why? I mean if opinions are irrelevant, it follows you don't have a point worth much. Oh and Donald Trump is a disgusting human being, because he has a long tract record (in this presidency alone) of picking fights with different groups of people his whole life. Even as president he will not apologize to the New York Central Five for wanting to see them given capital punishment for a crime they did not commit. Take back our consciousness: NOW!
I feel the same about Joe Biden!
It won't matter. Trump bad .... Biden good no matter what.
Biden could drool and babble through the whole thing and still be good with some of you.
I'm waiting for the VP debates so i can see the real Democrat POTUS candidate.
That's all trumpturd does, drool and babble.
If you're suggesting that his tax cut for the rich was a success....
Well there you go with truth, logic, and common sense again. Some people on the left just cannot handle that and their heads could implode! (Sarc)
It was a success for those who didn't need it, that's for sure.
All you'll get otherwise regarding accomplishments from trumpturd is a list of bogus bullshit.
Which American manufacturing jobs?
Where?
I got a few dollars. Not even enough to buy 1/2 a carton of smokes
Biden needs to watch out Donald has a special pack of lies prepared for this occasion. Biden should litter the room with Trump's best of Covid-19 lies, like candy!
So it'll be a Trump performance?
I suspect hiden Biden will be fine. He’s in his hidey hole right now being programmed for the debate. We won’t be seeing him much until Tuesday night.
Trumps doing his job, as well as doing campaign events, announcing a SCOTUS nomination, etc, etc.
Make of it what you will ....
all trumpturd is doing is holding superspreader 'rallies' and golfing.
And shotgun Joe sends his wife out in his stead to avoid his persistent hoof in mouth disease ...... sad. I might vote for her if she was running. She seems pretty squared away.
Fake news. A vote for her husband, Joe, is as good as it gets to voting for her! But, you are just bs-ing on the cheap anyway! You can't stand the Bidens, because they are the Bidens, and democrats.
Lol .... fake news? Are you living under a selective rock? She's out campaigning for him right now. Man, talk about denial.
Opinions do vary and greatly
Nope, just providing the facts. The fact that you don't like them is your problem not mine.
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I don't dislike the Bidens. I just complimented his wife and you say i don't like the Bidens? Man you need to get a grip CB. I simply don't like many Bidens policy positions. Period.
There .... hope that helps clear it up for you.
What do you find wrong with a man's wife campaigning and speaking up for him? Get serious.
Nothing except he's not out doing it himself. Get real.
No comment - comment. We're done here.
Awww .... such a shame ....
Biden is going to bury Trump. Will Trump be snorting Adoral prior to the debate as he most likely did in 2016, hence the continual sniffing? Trump will also ramble, mispronounce words, and make it all about him as usual.
I will still be watching this debate with interest either way. Myself, as a registered Independent, I refuse to vote along party lines and vote for the person I feel is most qualified, not the party.
Cut the high road bullshit. You aren't sitting there sifting through policy positions and carefully weighing one candidate against the other. In this race if you are still somehow undecided then you aren't going to vote anyway.
And you would know this how? Are you somehow clairvoyant enough to know what I will or will not do? I don't think so.
now, now, Ed.
Some liberals know everything!
Right and as we all know only a “liberal” can be truly independent...... just ask one.
😉
I am just clairvoyant enough to know that if you are still "undecided" at this point then the odds of you actually deciding by election day are somewhat nil. And of course, what is there to be "undecided" about?
[deleted]
Ok, just going by what I see
And just where above did I actually was undecided? One thing I absolutely know for sure is I adamantly refuse to vote for Biden! Go fish somewhere else.
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Or at least think they do until Reagan sets them em right.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-tells-trump-to-shut-up-calls-him-racist-clown-not-presidential-chris-wallace-runs-interference-for-biden
Trump's debate performance tonite is being described as maniacal, horrendous, atrocious and calamitous to his chances for reelection!
Is that all? lol
We now have to question the sanity and sincerity of anyone who would still vote for Trump after this total shitshow.
Commentator after commentator across various media are saying they have never seen anything like this (and not in a good way) and almost all of them are putting the great majority of the blame on Trump.
I vote for the party platform - not the candidate.
The Democrats haven't offered any good reasons to vote for them
I suspect the coming debate will test Trump's assertions about his own mental state--assuming one exists.
Could be interesting. "Ballots in a ditch."
Lol like we need another test of Trump's mental state, just listen anything he says, he just rambles about nonsense and throws in the words "mexicans" and "socialists" from time to time expecting his verbal garbage to mean something.
Trump has sounded like a high homeless person for about 10 years, as long as Biden seems better than that, that is all I need.
Joe talking to the troops.
It was a pretty clueless jest by Biden. It is not a game-changer, nevertheless. Trump coronavirus is ravaging the states!
are you "liberal explaining" for Joe now?
lol
Trump on Trump- laining :
How is that for a mental state?! Four years of undiluted paranoia !
Why do some people fall for this freak of nature's BS? Beats me!!! If his lips are moving, Donald is lying!!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2020.
I watched the debate.
I can only hope the rest of the world will not see what our democracy has become.
Trump is not seeking to expand his portion of the electorate. His only goal is to stop the vote.
Trump used the debate to express his contempt for the American democratic process. His plan was to disrupt the debate. He prep'd for it.
Trump is not running for President. He is trying to consolidate power.
I didn't see that Biden had any cognitive difficulties during the debate. He certainly showed similar frustration that I would have shown had I been in his place, especially due to the totally incompetent control exhibited by the moderator, which was no surprise me, his being with Fox News. If anything, Trump's behaviour had to have embarrassed the American people not only at home, but internationally.
I can only hope that America can regroup and after Trump is gone, prove to ourselves and the rest of the world that Trump is a perverse anomaly that we intend to ensure never happens again.
trump is not the left's problem. we are.
and we will still be here after trump leaves office jan 2025
And when trmp is gone, all your power is gone. You will all have to go back into the shadows again
Nah, we can all just use the lefts "resist" template that's been used the last four years on Trump if we so choose.
Haven't decided if i want to be that big of a prick yet or not if that actually does happen but that said, i wouldn't count your chickens until your eggs hatch.
Remember 2016 .....
Hmmm.....that's funny. I don't remember stating in my comment when trmp will be gone
I know that there is an element in this country that wants to shoot themselves in their feet. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets re-elected so go tell somebody else not to count their chickens
Touche'
Delusions of grandeur.
ask obama how that went for him, obamacare and garland
You're making my point by deflecting.
"from the shadows" we stood in obamas way for 8yrs no problem.
joe would not have any better luck.
but that is neither here nor there, joe is not going to win.
joe has less support than hillary had.
Finally. An admission.
yet they whine like spoiled children about the treatment trump has gotten in 4 years. karma. f'em.
Lol ..... any supposition that Obama, or Biden if he wins, had or will have that worse than Trump did in the last 4 years is laugh out loud funny.
You guys are cracking me up this morning.
Thx!
finally? I was saying that in 2008 - 2016
why act shocked now? LOL
we will always stand in the lefts way... matters not who is president.
we ain't going away
"getting rid of trump" will not solve the left's problems.
If your 'we' are represented by the conservatives on NT, 'we' liberals need have no worries.
No one takes your whack pronouncements seriously.
Oh, Buzz, it is so humiliating to have this racist buffoon represent us. Words can't even express how embarrassed and disgusted so many of us are. Apologies to the entire world.
the leader of the republican party .............................. bwah ha ha ha............
I agree with you with one exception: Chris Wallace should not have to risk his career (or his anchor slot) to correct a sitting president on defiling behavior. There were rules agreed to and contracted for, and openly subverted not by the moderator but by a contestant repeatedly - and purposely.
Yes, but laws, rules, protocols, customs, traditions, mean nothing to "The King".
I dunno, CB, trmp broke the rules first when he wouldn't allow Biden his two minutes. But then again I think like a 5 year old so if I were Wallace I would have told trmp to stop breaking the rules and let Biden talk. And if he couldn't do that, I would have ended the debate.
My dear lady, there was too much riding on that debate to end it. And as moderator, you would have reaped the whirlwind while the cameras kept rolling. Remember: There were producers and executive producers in Chris Wallace's earpiece guiding him through the 'swampiest" portions of this - laborious and vexing though it was. Telling him words to the effect: 'Hang on, Chris, we're guide you through and out the other side!' (:
This was, how have you all been calling it? A "shit-show." But once entered into the hall, the die was set for a Trumpapalooza!
Trumpapalooza. At least, now we can understand why Donald did not 'study' for the debate. He had no intention of answering new material. His strategy was to boorishly haul Joe to the deep end of the debate and drown him there using his own son, Hunter. But the best laid plans can backfire and did.
Imagine that, a sitting president, trying to take out an opponent by using the dirty 'pool' of his son: his children. Donald Trump is the 'pits.'
The fact is that a little pussycat with no balls like Wallace should never have been chosen to moderate the debate. I'm sure they chose him because they thought he would be neutral, a registered Democrat working for Fox News, but he was probably scared of losing his job if he came down hard on Trump.
Someone like Wallace wouldn't have any problems finding a job with CNN or MSNBC. If he had told trmp to shut up they might have given a huge signing bonus
I encourage all who care to, write, phone, or text the Biden campaign and tell them you support Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden is not in this campaign. He as spoken out less than the Trump children who showed up to sat in the debate audience. Trump is a authentic jerk for bringing this man's children into this.