Presidential Debate (09/29/2020) Analysis

The 2020 election is underway. As tens of thousands send in their absentee ballots or prepare to vote early in-person, many are waiting until November 3rd to cast their ballots to decide the next president. While the country is historically partisan and divided, there are still some who are undecided as to who they will vote for, if anyone. Last night, as I’m sure you know, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden met onstage for the first time to debate the many issues which the next president will need to address. These included the pandemic, race relations, and climate change among others. Unfortunately, the debate quickly went downhill, eventually highlighting the most divisive and toxic elements of the current political landscape. Verifiable lies, name-calling, and interrupting were consistent throughout the event, none of which were addressed by moderator Chris Wallace in any real way. While I believe Joe Biden “won” last night’s debate, if we can even call it one, I more so believe that America lost last night.

Historically, presidential debates are respectable and substantive conversations from each party’s nominated candidate that allow the American people to assess the policies, judgements, and personalities of said candidates. In a country as divided and damaged as the one we are living in now, however, most of the general electorate is aware of both Trump and Biden, and as polling reflects, they’ve already made their minds up. Very few supporters of either nominee were either encouraged or dissuaded from their candidate of choice last night, but instead ended the evening exhausted from the verbal cage-match they had just witnessed.

In a night full of nightmarish moments, there are a few that stand out in particular. Firstly, Donald Trump simply won’t admit that he has underpaid his federal income taxes over the past decades, but is simultaneously claiming that taking advantage of tax loopholes makes him smart. I would counter, however, that this admission is electorally numb-skulled, as Trump is revealing he has no desire to personally help fund the military, schools, police, hospitals, or roads among countless other services and facilities - not very American if you ask me. Another moment which stood out was the sheer hypocrisy displayed by Trump in defending his choice to nominate and potentially fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Supreme Court seat while the election is already taking place. I thought that Biden should have attacked this moment more pointedly by highlighting how Republicans stalled on Barack Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland in his final term in office. Additionally, I found it disgusting when Donald Trump impugned Joe Biden’s son Hunter who has openly overcome a cocaine addiction, all while acting dismissive when discussing Biden’s late son Beau.

But that’s not the worst of it. The Trump presidency stooped to an all-time low last night, which says a lot coming after mishandling the coronavirus which has killed over 210,000 Americans, crippling the economy, mocking disabled reporters, and putting kids in cages, among so many other despicable acts. Last night, Donald Trump failed to disavow white supremacy. Even the most charitable interpretation of this exchange needs to note that Trump told the white supremacist group of Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by”, as if to await further instruction from the Commander-In-Chief himself. This comes at a moment of peril for many minority communities who are being openly discriminated against and killed by a broken, racist, unjust system, which they have faced throughout the country’s entire history, but that is just now getting national attention. Instead of giving Trump’s supporters, even the passive ones, the benefit of the doubt anymore, this needs to be recognized for what it is. There is a vile man who represents the worst of this country in command because he was voted for by the worst people (not a majority, either) that this country has to offer. It’s really that simple.

Today, my absentee ballot was accepted and I am proud to, again, be voting on the correct side of history. It’s going to be difficult to sit through another two presidential debates if they’re anything like the first last night. Hopefully Kamala Harris can bring fresh energy to the stage next week in her debate against Vice President Mike Pence. Until then, we continue to push forward against the fascist regime which is revealing itself in front of our eyes. Thanks for reading.