Biden Lost the Debate, But I’m Still Voting for Him
Despite his poor performance, he’s still far better than Trump.
JOE BIDEN AND DONALD TRUMP debated. America was the loser.
From a substantive perspective, Biden did fine. He often fell too easily into rehearsed details at the expense of clear themes, but when he was audible, he was passable.
Trump continued, as usual, to lie. When he wasn’t spouting falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and unintelligible word salad, he continually trash-talked America, insisting that the country is awful and we’re “living in hell.” He scowled much more than he smiled, and his vision for the future was limited to promises to “make America great again.” Biden tried, a few times, to go on offense against him, but fumbled on every possession. It wouldn’t be a surprise if more Americans believed more of Trump’s lies at the end of the debate than at the beginning.
Yet the main conclusion most people draw likely won’t have anything to do with what the candidates said, but how they said it.
The concerns so many people share about Joe Biden’s age and ability are now front and center. Biden needed to prove that he was energetic and sharp enough to continue to lead the country for four years, and he failed that test.
Biden missed so many opportunities to nail Trump to the wall—for January 6th, his disdain for democracy, and his insane foreign policy. Trump lied over and over, convincingly, and was met with silence—or, at one point, a polite and demure “Thank you” from moderator Jake Tapper.
Biden’s open-mouthed, confused look was not helpful. Listening to the two men, Biden sounded much older (his campaign announced that he had a cold). Looking at the two candidates reinforced the impression. At a time when literal democracy is at risk, the Democrats need to have a family meeting about the best way to defend this country, and what part Biden plays in that vital effort.
One of the advantages to Democrats of scheduling this debate historically early in the campaign cycle is that it gives their delegates time to take up the difficult question of whether to consider a different nominee in August, and who that might be. That is, after all, what the party conventions are nominally for, and almost anyone they’re likely to pick would be a better choice than Trump.
I still plan to vote for Biden. I endorsed him because of his character and his commitment to America’s enduring values—values that Trump has not only never shared, but finds incomprehensible and hateful. Nothing about Biden’s performance in the debate negated my reasons for voting for him.
But I’m concerned that others may have reached a different conclusion.
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