It’s semi-old news by now, but the respective presidential campaigns of Republican Donald J. Trump and Democrat incumbent president senile Joe Biden agreed to two presidential
debates last week, the first of which will take place in a little over a month (on June 27 in Atlanta on CNN) as well as one in early September (on ABC on September 10, thus, before early voting begins) and a vice president’s forum in late July, pitting vice president cackling Kamala Harris versus Trump’s yet unnamed but sure-to-be-a-go-getter selection for his trusty governing partner in Trump administration 2.0.
Not satisfied with just two forums, the Trump campaign called for additional debates, one a month in June, July, August and September (plus the VP debate). The Biden campaign has already said they won’t do more than the two.
Moderators and formats are yet to be determined. Perhaps the Democrats surmise that ambiguity could allow for them to tip the balance of these supposedly neutral meetings. CNN, for its part, will almost surely try to make Trump look bad, either by selecting a known Trump antagonist to moderate or fixing the subject matter, etc. For all we know the network will have the dressing rooms packed with stimulants for Biden and depressants for Trump.
It used to be that Americans viewed presidential debates as the final information-gathering and assessing events just a few weeks prior to Election Day itself. Seeing the candidates on the same stage opposite each other and being fed by (supposedly) neutral moderators was thought to help America make up its mind in terms of who had the right stuff to serve in the world’s toughest (but most prestigious) political job in existence.
“The earliest presidential debate in televised history will take place on June 27 on CNN, a press release from the outlet on May 15 confirmed. The announcement came hours after former President Donald Trump accepted an invitation from President Joe Biden earlier in the day for two debates in June and September.
“The debate will be held on June 27 from CNN’s studios in Atlanta, Georgia, a key battleground state for the November election. Notably, no audience will be present at the debate ‘to ensure candidates may maximize the time allotted in the debate.’
“President Biden posted on X before the news was confirmed by the outlet that he had accepted CNN’s invitation, adding ‘Over to you, Donald. As you said: anywhere, any time, any place.’”
You mean, senile Joe, that you’re going to let this happen? And that you’re truly not quivering in your loafers at the prospect of facing a Donald Trump who’s never known the word “concede” and has all the poll momentum on his side?
A lot of people are probably wondering, “What brought this on?” It was no secret that Trump badly wanted to take on Biden in a one-on-one debate, and it was my impression that senile Joe was avoiding the subject whenever he was asked because he didn’t want to open up the possibility that he himself would commit an embarrassing gaffe and potentially ruin it all for the liberal party. Or, to admit to the likelihood that Trump would make mincemeat of the old(er) man and put the final nail in Biden’s political coffin ahead of what surely will be the most important day of his life (that being Election Day).
Speculation will continue right up until the starting time of the debate itself, but one can’t help but figure Biden’s handlers felt further delay would only worsen the poll slippage that they’d experienced lately. The fact that no one likes senile Joe is evident for everyone to see. Biden is no longer the back slappin’, hair sniffin’, shoulders massagin’ good guy “Lunch Bucket Joe” anymore. Americans have recognized that he’s a jackass (pardon the language).
So why would Biden agree to do it not once, but possibly multiple times?
One reason why Biden committed to a June start was probably to silence the growing chorus of doubters within his own party that he was still viable and could make the case for his administration and therefore win back many of the voters who’d abandoned him and the Democrat party in favor of an opponent who wasn’t personally popular but somehow had convinced American voters that he was a better choice for them.
Whatever happened to January 6, 2021? Had Americans forgotten what occurred that day, when hundreds if not thousands of revelers got a little out of hand (prodded by the deep state, no less) and paraded through the Capitol Building as though they owned the place? Liz Cheney’s disapproval and Adam Kinzinger’s tears have become a distant memory now, as voters are more likely to blame runaway inflation and government incompetence for their lives lacking meaning than recalling one sorry moment in history.
After all that, Trump’s candidacy wasn’t lookin’ so bad now, was it?
Biden’s poll numbers have fallen so far and so fast that the volume of naysayers had increased tenfold from just a month or so ago. Senile Joe’s poll standing had been recovering and improving since his shouted State of the Union Address in early March, and there was a general belief among Democrats that he’d gotten his act together to the point where they might be able to mask his deficiencies (like they’d done in 2020) and somehow pull off another win.
But Trump’s trial in New York City hasn’t produced the necessary outrage and doubts with the American people, and senile Joe himself hasn’t looked so sturdy while presiding over the awfully embarrassing (to Biden and all Democrats) pro-Hamas demonstrations and riots throughout the country. Senile Joe has tried to take both sides of the argument, and he hasn’t appeased either.
Further, senile Joe’s Democrat coalitions are starting to unravel. Heck, even young voters and minority blocs are showing potential for tossing the old coot to the side.
Biden’s desperation to halt the bleeding before this summer’s party convention is more evident than ever. If rank and file Democrats remained upset all the way up to the DNC party in Chicago in August (19-22), who knows what they’d do. The Obamas will be looking on, and wouldn’t it be a scream to have the convention attendees call Michelle down to the podium to speak before the official nomination vote was held? The roll call of the states would take on a new meaning.
Biden’s handlers must’ve deduced that they couldn’t afford to wait any longer to try and salvage senile Joe’s candidacy. They had to pit him against Trump directly to attempt to provide a contrast to the controversial challenger. A debate on CNN without an audience present in a semi-neutral location (Democrat-dominated Atlanta) could be just what they were asking for.
There’s also over a month to prepare senile Joe for the event, which will afford him plenty of excuses for not being more vigorous in his campaigning, the need to practice and “rest up” for the big night taking precedence over governing and doing other presidential obligations, the whole time plotting to hide Biden away from view. Perhaps Dr. Jill will assume senile Joe’s speaking duties on the campaign trail. And they’ve always got Kamala Harris to rally the Democrat troops!
As previously indicated, the Biden campaign also agreed to the September debate, thus adding emphasis to the fact that he intends to be the Democrat on the ballot in November (and earlier), virtually daring the Democrat powers-that-be to try and replace him so late in the process when debates have been planned and formalized by contracts.
To cancel now would make for one big mess, wouldn’t it?
In his initial challenge to the decrepit lying incumbent president, Trump did say “ANY TIME! ANYWHERE! ANY PLACE!”, so there was little room for the Republican to object to a CNN offer to provide the logistics. No matter, if the CNN people try to pull something funny, Trump will be in good position to point out that CNN was “fake news” and has never treated him fairly. That should be enough.
Incidentally, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was left out of the debates, which brought cries of foul from the independent candidate who has polled reasonably well, yet has fallen far short of qualifying for all 50 state ballots. It’s unknown whether RFK Jr. will be successful in his public relations campaign to be included with Biden and Trump.
It’s still before Memorial Day, of course, but here’s speculating that Trump has done a smart thing by loudly challenging senile Joe Biden to early debates. There’s plenty for Trump to talk about and national polls indicate that, even though the people don’t necessarily love Trump more than they used to, they definitely don’t care much for Biden – at all.
Trump should study footage from the 2020 debates and seek to emulate his performance from the second forum that year. The only way Trump could blow it is by reinforcing the already established position (by his enemies) that he lacks temperament and personal restraint to be a good president. Issue-wise, everything points to Trump doing well vis-à-vis idiotic moron senile Joe Biden.
So yes, the question of whether Americans will see Donald Trump and Joe Biden facing each other in debates for the 2024 election has been answered in the affirmative. The hype for these events has already begun building, which guarantees that this summer will feature a campaign like none other. Will it be epic? We don’t have long to find out.