The following is an editorial by Sarah Jones.
If you’re concerned about the state of democracy during a potential second Trump term, last night probably upset you. President Joe Biden took to the stage last night to confront a notorious troll, and like all of Trump’s previous opponents, he didn’t fare well.
Biden came to the debate with a cold, so his voice was so low that it was difficult to hear at times.
He repeatedly gave Trump time to dominate the debate.
Biden suffers from stuttering. His coldness and the short form of his answers were both obstacles he was consistently unable to overcome, but he did so with his January 6 response to Roe and the recent historical disgrace of Donald J Trump being held responsible for rape through the legal system. Well done. He's a fraudster, and of course he has 34 felonies and I can't even count them.
One of Biden's best moments came when he called Trump a whiner for not accepting the massive losses of 2020. “I doubt you'll accept it. You're too whiny. If you lose again, you'll accept anything. You can't handle losses. Something snapped inside you the last time you lost.”
The president's worst moments were when he seemed dispirited by a stutter and a cold, fighting to protect Medicare (Republican lies about cutting Medicare by billions were debunked by experts), and trying to keep Medicare solvent. With plans to extend it permanently, he ended by saying, “We finally won Medicare.”
This is a line that conservatives will hear over and over again for the next decade, but that doesn’t make it accurate. It’s really disturbing that those with policies that seek to undermine Medicare and Medicaid will use this line as a cudgel. Trump’s policy adviser at Project 2025* has made it clear that if Trump were to become president again, he would eliminate Medicaid and raise drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries.
But Biden did some important things that Trump was unable or unwilling to do. Biden spoke about his policies that have served the American people, made a valiant effort to remain honest, and supported democratic principles and norms even as Trump attacked his son, Hunter Biden.
Those things should have been rewarded, but some in the legacy media have already highlighted Joe Biden’s age as an issue in this election, and so instead of focusing on the fact that Joe Biden is a decent guy who wants to help people (given the Democratic agenda), Biden is put at a disadvantage.
Biden wasn’t in the best shape, but it’s also unfair to expect the candidate to fact-check the words of Gish, a notorious liar, during a debate. Even the fact-checkers who haven’t been on stage to focus on policy thinking throughout Trump’s political career have never done this.
why? Trump that much problem.
Trump spent his time on stage lying and slandering, covering up his refusal to discuss policy. Policies will make a real difference in the lives of voters, and they need to hear about them from candidates.
But Trump, who had boasted that he was responsible for overturning the vote, evaded responsibility, saying everyone could do whatever they wanted.
This line should not be overlooked. Trump used the word “heart” at least twice in this debate, an age-old political tactic to deflect responsibility for actions by citing the mythical “heart.” Imagine a murderer (or in this case a convicted criminal) saying in court, “I have a good heart.” It is intended to mitigate and excuse meaningless but harmful behavior. It's a get-out-of-the-box card for scammers.
Project 2025 also proposes using the Comstock Act to “prohibit the mailing of medications used in medical abortion, instruments and equipment used in surgical abortion, and even information about abortion” to strip women of their liberty nationwide.
So it was notable to hear Trump lie about Roe: “Everyone wanted to give it back to the states…Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives, no exceptions.” Trump claimed he believed in exceptions for rape, incest and maternal life, and he told people to “follow your heart.” As if women in states where abortion is banned can simply follow their “hearts” if they want to live or not be subjected to medical torture.
What probably every journalist should agree on is that Trump's refusal to recognize the results of the last election and his incitement of insurrection are far more problematic than anything Joe Biden has done.
When asked twice whether he would accept the election results, Trump began displaying some of his most damaging personality traits. It's a combination of constant persecution, delusion, and incredible immaturity. He could only agree to accept the results “if it was a fair, legal and good election.” Oh, I see. But 2020 was the most secure election in modern history and Trump refused to accept it, so he continued to lie about the 2020 election. “But the fraud and everything else was outrageous.”
So about last night… Biden was grounded in reality, and Trump lied so much that he blamed Nancy Pelosi and the Capitol Police for 1/6.
This is neither Biden's fault nor CNN's fault.
Aren't you tired of blaming Trump's victims for his actions? Trump is not fit to be president. The fact that he was on that debate stage is the Republican Party's fault, and their standards are now below the darkest levels of hell, along with their alleged “conservative principles.”
President Biden must convince voters that he has earned it in another State of the Union address. But none of us should overlook the fact that Donald Trump turned off swing voters in a focus group last night. The nausea you felt while thinking about watching this debate is not just yours. Far more Americans are sharing this information than you might imagine.
If last night was a litmus test of which of these people could become president, only one survived despite his weak performance: Joe Biden. Like many incumbents before him, Biden had a bad debate. But bad debates do not make for a bad president.
Biden made the case himself on Friday, acknowledging that he isn't as good at debating as he used to be.
Biden spoke candidly to America about his debate performance. “I'm not as good at debating as I used to be, but I know what I know, I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to get things done.” “If you fall down, get up again.” pic.twitter.com/DcfaL0TUi0
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 28, 2024
Through his priorities, this President has shown every day that he runs this country with the expertise that only age and experience can bring.
*Project 2025 is the work of the Heritage Foundation, which has support from over 100 right-wing organizations, including Trump advisers and former Trump administration officials.