It’s a break-glass moment

Democrats tried to reassure us that President Joe Biden would win in a rematch because Donald Trump hasn’t done anything to get more votes than he got last time, and a lot — like getting convicted — that would lead him to get fewer votes.  What we did not count on was Biden doing something like his debate performance. Trump’s opponents have underestimated him every step of the way and those who thought a convicted Trump would be easy to beat were wrong again.

In terms of debate preparation, we have seen examples of how bad it looks when candidates forget they are on TV. As Jon Stewart noted, he sounded bad when he talked and he looked bad when he wasn’t talking. In fact, he looked awful.

I don’t doubt that Biden could do the job. The question is, should he? Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and minority leader Mitch McConnell set the example by stepping down. Biden should have followed their lead. It’s not just chronological age, as Bernie Sanders comes across as more energetic. Biden presents as old.

The fear is Biden would be another Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who will have undone more in her death than she did in her life by not retiring and letting Barack Obama pick her replacement. At 80+, the actuarial tables are not in anyone’s favor. Look at Sen. Dianne Feinstein and how her health impacted her ability to chair the judicial committee. By staying in, she hindered her own agenda of putting in more fair justices. If Sen. Ted Kennedy had not died in office, he might have been replaced with a liberal Democrat and not a Republican, and a public-option health insurance plan might have passed.

We have all seen the pictures of how the presidency ages a person. Remember before and after photos of Bill Clinton and Obama? What could an “after” picture of Joe Biden look like?

It is not just Biden’s age, he has made some major policy mistakes. After beautifully executing a response to COVID when the vaccines rolled out, he demonstrated an equally bad withdrawal from Afghanistan for the world to see. Biden says every general agreed with him and it looks like no general agreed with him.

Immigration was a problem from day one. He gave that issue to Vice President Kamala Harris who took a pass on the problem for her own political future. Even when blue state mayors and governors complained about the U.S. immigration policy, the Biden administration didn’t respond until they were forced to. If he would have brought that border deal to the Republicans sooner in his administration, it would have passed.

American fiscal policy was his third mistake. We had this fairytale world of low inflation and low interest through several presidencies. Joe Biden’s ARPA, Build Back Better, Inflation Reduction Act, and Infrastructure Act were, according to former U.S. Treasure Secretary Larry Summers, simply too much stimulus to the economy and caused inflation, which resulted in higher interest rates. The result has been the common person saying things like, “I don’t like Trump but the economy was better when he was president.” When responding to the claim that President Trump was racist, a Puerto Rican small business owner said, “They are all racist, but I had more money in my pocket when he was president.”

Some have pointed to the fact that the Republicans did not feel compelled to replace their nominee even though he has been convicted of felony charges.

In this break-glass moment, it is not clear what the Democrats would or should do next. Biden supporters say it was just an off night. Sen. John Fetterman says he knows what it is like to have a bad debate. Biden has no intention of stepping down. Which means there is little that can be done. Is the answer to have Biden give more fiery speeches, do town meeting-style events and one-on-one media interviews and show that he just had a bad night? Or just try to win via commercials?

Some say Democrats just have to work harder. Then there are the strong anti-or never Trumpers like Mark Cuban who says he would vote for Biden if they were giving the president his last rites.

One person suggested we pray and leave it in God’s hands. That might be our best option.

Ed Gaskin is Executive Director of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and founder of Sunday Celebrations.