This was a presidential debate like no other. Never before have the American people been so keenly focused on the cognitive health of one of the candidates – not just his policies or his character, but whether he possessed the physical qualities needed to be the leader of the free world.
Joe Biden didn’t just flunk the test. He self-destructed in front of more than one hundred million viewers. That view wasn’t limited to Trump supporters. Indeed, numerous Democrat leaders and operatives acknowledged their panic. Nicholas Kristof, a far-left columnist for the New York Times, urged Biden to “reflect on his debate performance and withdraw.” Van Jones of CNN, a staunch Biden supporter, urged Democrats to find a new presidential candidate.
The decision by those closest to Biden to put him through this crucible is nothing short of elder abuse. Biden prepared for two weeks in the company of some sixteen coaches. Undoubtedly, they knew he was not up to the task, just as he has been unable to lead the United States since he took office. What were they thinking?
The policy exchanges between Trump and Biden were far less meaningful than they should have been because the entire audience was fixated on the train wreck of Biden’s performance – his mumbling, inability to finish a sentence, and incoherence. This debate will not be remembered for any particular exchange – nothing like “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy” that Lloyd Bentsen used to floor Dan Quayle.
It will be remembered because one candidate suffered a self-inflicted knockout in the first round.
Could things have gone differently in the debate between Trump and Biden?
I should say that if Biden had not failed cognitively, Trump would still have won the debate. He showed superior command of the subject matter, appeared very much in command and presidential, and hammered home the key points relevant to his campaign: Biden’s failed economy, open borders, and weakness on the world stage.
He made the case effectively that Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, appeasement of Putin, and refunding of Iran have created a very unstable world and directly led to the attacks against Israel. His comparison of his record in office to that of Biden was compelling.
In the spin room following the debate, the largest crowd of reporters circled around California governor Gavin Newsome, ready to anoint a new candidate on the spot. Politics is a cruel game, and those who have covered for Joe Biden these past few years – imploring the public not to believe what they see – will now pay a heavy price for their duplicity.
Donald Trump always was the better candidate for America, Israel, and the rest of the world. Now, he is the only candidate.