DEBATE DEBACLE — The Weekly Opine

Might as well look at something pleasant, as opposed to a debate photo of Trump, Joe Biden and moderator Chris Wallace. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

The abyss engulfs America

Intellectually, America is not in a good place. In some quarters, having moved beyond bliss, ignorance is downright in style, worn proudly like a ribbon awarded for best pie at the county fair. For some, ignorance is a celebrated way of life, with many Americans stubbornly ignorant.

The scene on Tuesday night was so ignorant and messy as to be unrecognizable as a presidential debate, despite the usual trappings. Broadcast and cable networks distributed the video and audio to millions of American households. There was a well-known moderator. And candidates representing America’s obtuse two-party system appeared behind lecterns.

While watching pre-debate cable news shows, many voters partook in alcohol-fueled “tailgating,” in anticipation of the carnage that would unfold. Unfortunately, the ensuing bloodletting surpassed even the most prescient prognosticators expectation.

By the time it ended, the world saw the U.S. as ripe for picking. Not in my lifetime – spanning 11 real presidents and the current fake president – has America been in such dire straights relative to its government. Similar to the department store Santa who used his boot to gently push Ralphie down the slide in the classic movie “A Christmas Story,” world leaders must be salivating at the prospect of nudging aside a deeply scarred and diminished America.

On the obvious hand, Trump is an ignorant, incompetent criminal who should be behind bars. On the other hand, Joe Biden is a seasoned pro, propped up by a Democratic party intent on staving off handing the reins to left leaners like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The rub is that either Sanders or Warren would make mincemeat of Trump in a debate because both are better able to respond with quick-witted daggers when Trump attacks.

Unlike the disastrous debate, this photo is relaxing. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Furthermore, Sanders’ and Warren’s progressive policies are aligned with the majority of Americans, many of whom could lose health insurance, the right to vote, the freedom to marry whoever they please, and the security of staying in this country, if Trump is reelected.

On Tuesday night, Biden did sling several strong comeback lines, at one point looking directly at the camera and saying to Americans, “This is not about Trump’s family or my family, it’s about your family.” During another moment, Biden told Trump to “Shut up!” as Trump interrupted for the umpteenth time. At other times Biden looked like a punching bag being pounded by Iron Mike Tyson.

Who is in charge?

The popular narrative – at least on the East Coast - that the smartest people in America reside in New York City and Washington D.C. is, like the stock market, overdue for a correction. This narrative was proven wrong once again Tuesday night with a farcical presidential debate.

Who among Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee bigwigs thinks the debate format is optimal? At the networks that carry the debates, which honchos would offer up Tuesday night’s spectacle as world-class TV production to university journalism students? Why don’t television producer(s) recognize the moderator should be equipped with volume controls, to be used to turn down the microphone on candidates who continually interrupt when the other candidate is speaking?

Formulaic

Following the same pattern over and over is sometimes not optimal unless, for example, you are cranking out assembly-line package goods such as beer, in which case a manufacturer needs every bottle to taste the same.

But when it comes to debates, what was tried and true (John Kennedy and Richard Nixon) is now dull, boring and, more importantly, not effective at giving undecided voters reliable information. Nowadays, debates are more about snarky one-liners and outshouting your opponent. Style over substance, bravado over humility. And allowing candidates just two minutes to explain complex policy like healthcare reform is a recipe for confusion.

It also does not help when a moderator claims – as Chris Wallace did – that it’s not his job to do real-time fact checking during the debate. Wallace’s admission revealed an unwillingness to do pre-debate homework. This forces viewers to stick around for cable news post-debate roundtables to separate the wheat (truth) from the chaff (lies).

From a production standpoint, is it that difficult to have a few truth/lies analysts seated near the moderator? Whenever a candidate lies the analyst would blow an air horn and, right on the spot, explain the truth to the viewing public.

Also, trusted epidemiologists and others from the scientific community should be seated alongside the moderator. They can clarify any confusion and/or lies sowed by candidates relative to the coronavirus.

It is unacceptably dangerous to allow Trump to spew disinformation about COVID-19, as Americans sit in their living rooms watching the debates. After 7.3 million U.S. cases and 208,000 deaths, it is well past time to stop Trump’s lying about the pandemic.

Same with mail-in voting. New York Times columnist Tom Friedman says an election official should be given 10 minutes during each debate to explain how mail-in voting works, inform the public that there is minimal, if any, fraud associated with mail-in voting, etc. A great idea.

If you are a praying woman or man, pray. America is in deep, deep trouble. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Focus on these things

There are three things Americans are primarily concerned about, with or without a pandemic. Healthcare, employment, and protecting their family. All three are now inherently connected to the pandemic. They are also tied to fairness. Is it fair you may lose your healthcare, but conniving politicians keep theirs? Is it fair that Trump pays little to no federal taxes, while you would be in prison if you did likewise? Is it fair that Trump wants to force an untested vaccine on your family?

Tuesday night, Trump was an unhinged madman, the lowlight being his dog whistling to white supremacists.

His face burning a deeper shade of orange than characteristically, Trump abused the moderator, Fox News’ Wallace. It made you pine for the days when the late-Tim Russert, always prepared, punished fools like Trump with penetrating questions and unrelenting follow-up to bull-shit answers.

Biden needs to take it up a notch, not that he lost the first debate (a squirrel sitting on a fence post could beat Trump in a debate). But Joe did get pushed around and Democrats need to prove they can, within decorum, throw a punch and be the aggressor.

At the next debate when Trump lies, Biden should simply shout “Liar!” into the microphone. No need for details, just a simple “Liar!” will suffice. Undecided voters will understand.

The biggest loser is America, suffering from an infantile president with blinded followers unable to see that Trump is in it for himself. I’d bet Herman Cain’s family would be first in line to vouch that Trump cares for no one but himself.

Factor in an unabating pandemic, climate change induced wildfires, persistent protests caused by the continued slaying of Black folks by unaccountable cops, a backward looking court system set to undo decades of progress, and crumbling healthcare and education systems, and you have an America that is unsustainable.

Biden is a good man, like all of us not perfect. He is the one the DNC wanted at the dance and he’s at the dance. So, let’s dance.

Vote Biden-Harris.