Oops! Trump gets his wish

Back when the 2020 presidential campaign started, Donald Trump needed a strategy to beat Joe Biden. 

Trump didn't have any real policies. He couldn't speak knowledgably about the issues. His own track record included botching the Covid response, crashing the economy, and disparaging institutions such as the judiciary and the FBI. 

So, Trump defaulted to bully mode: relentlessly attack an opponent with personal insults and baseless allegations. This one was that Biden was feeble--physically and mentally. 

And as he entered 2024, in the wake of impeachments, indictments, convictions, civil judgments, and lying to overturn an election, Trump continued the attacks with the wish that enough people would believe his lies and accusations to swing the election.

Sure, there have been Biden gaffes over the years--although Trump had his share, too. But as Biden bested Trump in the 2020 debate, or was elected President, or even delivered a rousing State of the Union speech earlier this year, Biden's cognitive decline wasn't really a salient issue for anyone outside of Trump's MAGA sphere as they tried to distract voters from their own candidate's court proceeding after court proceeding (they also ceaselessly touted Hunter's "nothing-burger" laptop, or empty impeachments against members of Biden's administration, or non-existent bribes supposedly coming Joe's way). 

Primarily because of Biden's shortcomings being exposed during the debate (and since), it now appears that Biden has slowed. 

Trump has been granted his wish.

As a result, Trump now leads Biden in most polls. The Democrats are sniping and in seeming disarray. And Trump's Republicans are united behind him as he heads into Milwaukee to accept the GOP nomination.

But now that Trump's gotten his wish, is it a case of "be careful what you wish for?"

After all, there remains a real possibility that Biden--a struggling incumbent who Trump had at least a 50/50 chance to defeat--will be replaced.

By someone younger than Trump.

By someone smarter than him.

By someone less controversial than him.

Which could significantly change the calculus regarding the election.

And that wouldn't be good news for Trump.

But it just could be the very thing America has been wishing for. 

Joe, it's time to bow out

As if Biden's stumbling, fumbling, mumbling debate performance wasn't bad enough to doom his reelection chances, last night's "redemption" interview with ABC's George Stephanopolous should be the end of his presidential campaign.

Biden's interview--just another "bad night?"

This was an interview for which Biden should have been prepared, focused, and convincing. 

But he wasn't.

Instead, Biden rambled. He deflected when asked questions about his cognitive capabilities. He was disingenuous (or clueless) when talking about falling numbers in the polls or the maelstrom in Democratic circles resulting from his alarming debate earlier in the week. And when asked if he had since watched the debate (which he optimistically termed  simply "a bad night"), Biden inexplicably claimed, "I don't think so."

I don't think so? How would he not know if he watched it or not?

But perhaps the biggest drop of all: Biden said he wouldn't take a cognitive exam.

"I have a cognitive test every single day."

No, you don't, Joe.

And this would be THE easiest thing to do to bring your campaign back, putting all the questions and concerns to rest. Just take an evaluative test.

But he won't do it.

Because, I think--and I'm guessing as does every other American think likewise (including Jill Biden)--he isn't sure he would pass one.

And that's sad.

But it happens. And when it gets to that point, even though a person is still capable of doing lots of things, running the world's most powerful country is no longer on that list.

So, it's time to bow out, Joe Biden. Thank you for your decades of public service, your accomplishments as President, your decency as a person.

It's time to move on.

For you, and for the country.

Here's a complete transcript of the interview from ABC News

Biden's story (and campaign) keeps crumbling

President Biden's team is in crisis/spin mode, scrambling to keep Biden's campaign alive as his poll numbers drop.

And it's not going well.

As you may have seen (or certainly heard about), Biden's debate--arguably the biggest night of his life-- was a disaster. He was wide-eyed, slack-jawed, and couldn't regularly respond to Donald Trump or the moderators with coherent, salient arguments (I wrote about it here).

"Oh, he had a cold," said the Biden campaign.

And then more excuses.

Biden attributed his horrible performance to jet lag from his G7 European trip--from which he had returned TWELVE days prior and then spent almost a week at Camp David.

His White House staff said Biden had just prepped too much.

His wife, Jill, offered that her husband "didn't feel great" for the debate.

And none of it explains anything, really.

Biden's debate performance was pitiable, to be honest--with the US President appearing as a dazed and confused elderly man. It was sad to watch (and scary, too, if one stops to consider that this man is responsible for things like the nuclear codes).

Amazingly, however, he followed his feeble debate performance the next day with a cogent and rousing speech in North Carolina. 

So, what gives?

As former House Speaker (and staunch Biden supporter) Nancy Pelosi wondered regarding Biden's tremendous debate stumble, "I think it's a legitimate question...is it an episode or is this a condition?"

Of course, the White House isn't offering any clarity on that question.

Just yesterday, the White House Press Secretary said Biden hadn't had any medical exams since his last one in February.

Now, word comes out that Biden actually did see a doctor after the debate. 

The White House explained it away by saying it was only a "brief check," not a physical.

But this lack of transparency and the ever-evolving stories coming out point to one thing as Biden's team is in crisis mode: this IS a crisis.

And should it ever come to a split-second decision--maybe regarding a nuclear launch or an insidious cyber-attack on our infrastructure or thwarting an attempted coup--who is making that decision to protect our country, a clear-headed President or the elderly man at the debate who froze like a deer in the headlights?

And if you have to even ask that question, it's clear.

Joe Biden has to step aside.

And no spin can disguise that.