So glad I didn't waste my time watching last night's debate. I did read about the lies Trump told, easy ones to spot for me when I read them, and about Biden's old man looks, and doddering.
I do recall the 1984 presidential debates. Reagan looked really old (even though he was "only" 73 in 1984, younger than Biden and Trump are now) in the first debate against Mondale. Reagan had a sizable lead on Mondale, of course, but Mondale now had what media people called "momentum." In the second debate, expectations for Reagan were so low that the media pundits judged him the winner, even though, in the closing statement, Reagan rambled about him driving down Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) in the older days, ran out of time, and had to be cut off. See this at the 1:22 mark forward.
I remember watching this with a roommate who was a wealthy guy from Nigeria. We both thought Reagan clearly lost that second debate too. Then, we watched the pundits. And in the pre-Internet days, we could only gasp with frustration to listen to them say Reagan won the debate and was back on track. That congealed among people in the United States over the next 48 hours. And any hope for Mondale was dashed. It was, though, a perfect example of manufacturing consent.
I have only watched a relatively few national debates since then, meaning the 1992 debate with Perot, and Dem primary debates when Bernie was there--but not all of those either. I just realized that most people, even in the social media age, will be swayed by simplistic and trivial things, and legacy media messaging. It doesn't matter what I see.
For example, when Kamala Harris was on CNN after the debate--Jackie and I saw that--Anderson Cooper played a clip he said showed how bad Biden was. It was on the abortion issue. We watched the clip and were shocked to see Biden looked fine, even great while Trump looked even older than Biden. I have now seen another clip on the topic that is consistent with the media narrative. Yet, the one Cooper showed Harris was completely at odds with the narrative--yet Cooper insisted it was paradigmatic of the narrative he and the other talking heads were promoting. Oh, and I should say, I never saw Kamala Harris look and sound better than in that interview. She spoke in a way that was finally and seemingly genuine about policy. Also, showing comedians have a better gauge of how to present news, Jon Stewart had the clips showing doddering Biden, including the one where Biden confused the immigration and abortion issues in a dementia-caused way and another showing how Biden ended up saying he "defeated" Medicare.
Oh well. It was nice nation while we lasted. Actually, not nice except for some moments and for mostly white people in the post-WWII period. Also, the Founders' debates remain one of the greatest intellectual moments in human history. Otherwise, it is settler colonialism all the way down. I have long wanted to stop and end the US Empire. However, I didn't want to stop and end the United States or its economic and political power to effectuate positive change in the world. I just wanted us to export development that was fair and kind, not corporate domination and bombings.
As I say, Oh well. If Biden doesn't quit or can't turn his campaign around, or change his enabling genocide in Palestine with US tax dollars, I guess mean, vindictive, dumb, and fascist Trump will return to the White House. Neolibs and MSNBC zombies will never see why this is primarily their fault. Oh. Well. Neil Postman was right. And maybe I was right, too, that Biden would have to step aside in the summer of 2024 (but I was very wrong in the details except for Israel-Palestine).*
*It is interesting to note Republicans don't care if their candidate has dementia (see: Reagan) and now don't care if their candidate is a rapist, tax fraud, and now convicted felon. Interesting all around as Republicans know their policies are anti-worker, anti-consumer, and anti-pretty much most Americans. All they have are cultural resentments and promoting prejudices, which works well in maintaining their ultimate dominance. My advice to Dems: Remember the Executive Branch is filled with tens of thousands of jobs, and most things are done by department heads and their staffs. Republicans know it doesn't matter if the president is doddering. That's how the second Reagan administration went. Oh, and I should add: If Biden steps aside, it is now likely a fight among Harris, Witmer of Michigan, and Josh Shapiro the surprise from Pennsylvania. It's then a 90 day sprint to November.
As I say, Oh well. If Biden doesn't quit or can't turn his campaign around, or change his enabling genocide in Palestine with US tax dollars, I guess mean, vindictive, dumb, and fascist Trump will return to the White House. Neolibs and MSNBC zombies will never see why this is primarily their fault. Oh. Well. Neil Postman was right. And maybe I was right, too, that Biden would have to step aside in the summer of 2024 (but I was very wrong in the details except for Israel-Palestine).*
*It is interesting to note Republicans don't care if their candidate has dementia (see: Reagan) and now don't care if their candidate is a rapist, tax fraud, and now convicted felon. Interesting all around as Republicans know their policies are anti-worker, anti-consumer, and anti-pretty much most Americans. All they have are cultural resentments and promoting prejudices, which works well in maintaining their ultimate dominance. My advice to Dems: Remember the Executive Branch is filled with tens of thousands of jobs, and most things are done by department heads and their staffs. Republicans know it doesn't matter if the president is doddering. That's how the second Reagan administration went. Oh, and I should add: If Biden steps aside, it is now likely a fight among Harris, Witmer of Michigan, and Josh Shapiro the surprise from Pennsylvania. It's then a 90 day sprint to November.
