“Make my day, friend.”
In a surprise video released Wednesday morning, a swaggering Joe Biden, doing his best ‘Dirty Harry’ impression, challenged his 2024 opponent to take him on with rhetorical weapons in hand for two presidential debates.
“Donald Trump lost two debates against me in 2020,” Biden said. “He now acts like he wants to debate me again.”
Well, yes, Mr. President. This is how American presidential elections usually work.
The party’s two main candidates – and, perhaps, a third upstart party – meet in public debates to win the votes of the American people.
But interestingly, for months the Biden campaign has been trying to avoid such a confrontation.
Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, one of the president’s closest confidants, said in February that he found it “hard to imagine” a debate between Biden and Trump would be “productive.”
On Wednesday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reiterated that she thinks a debate is a bad idea: “I would never recommend putting Donald Trump on stage.”
So why the sudden change of heart by Biden?
In a surprise video released Wednesday morning, a swaggering Joe Biden, doing his best ‘Dirty Harry’ impression, challenged his 2024 opponent to take him on with rhetorical weapons in hand for two presidential debates.
“Donald Trump lost two debates against me in 2020,” Biden said. “He now acts like he wants to debate me again.”
The truth is that the Democrats are in a complete panic.
A drowning man will grasp at straws.
And this is where this tactic goes from desperate to downright pathetic.
The New York Times published a new poll on Monday showing Trump leading in five of the six swing states that will decide the 2024 election. Despite Biden’s public pronouncements that he believes all the polls are wrong, his campaign obviously believes that all surveys are correct.
The Democratic Party is now willing to do anything to keep this election from slipping out of reach, and the coach is calling for a ‘Hail Mary’ midway through the first quarter.
To prepare the battlefield for Biden, his camp has demanded that a series of accommodations be met before Joe faces Donald to duel.
Firstly, the debate must be held in a television studio and not in front of a live audience.
That’s understandable.
Trump thrives in front of crowds (the former president recently drew tens of thousands to a rally in New Jersey), while Biden is often confused and distracted by them.
Trump thrives in front of crowds (the former president recently drew tens of thousands to a rally in New Jersey), while Biden is often confused and distracted by them.
The New York Times published a new poll on Monday showing Trump leading in five of the six swing states that will decide the 2024 election.
Remember how Biden performed when questioned by a handful of reporters after the release of that February Special Counsel report that called him a “well-intentioned old man with a bad memory.”
“My memory is fine,” he insisted, before referring to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi as the “president of Mexico.”
Second, moderators should be empowered to mute candidates’ microphones once their allotted speaking time has expired.
Again, I totally get it.
Imagine that Biden had to explain why he sent bombs and ammunition to Israel, before stopping the shipment of weapons, before restarting the shipment again, all in a matter of weeks.
You will be delighted when your 30 seconds are up.
Third, potential debate sponsors are effectively limited to CNN, ABC, CBS or Telemundo.
You won’t have any complaints from me about this. CNN, my employer for on-air political commentary, cleverly seized the first debate on June 27, launching the network into the presidential race.
But one can’t help but suspect that Biden wanted to keep a specific news channel out of it. (Hint: rhymes with socks)
Finally, candidates from third parties cannot participate.
That means that you, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
This lawsuit will benefit both Biden and Trump, as they would like to see any rival who threatens to divert support be smothered in the cradle. However, it is an ironic request coming from the party that claims to be the last remaining defender of democracy.
Finally, candidates from third parties cannot participate. That means that you, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
I’d rather have almost anyone on my list besides the most unpopular vice president in modern political history.
Trump World responded almost immediately to this carefully curated debate scheme, saying: Yeah, okay, see you there. And while we’re at it, let’s add a few more meetings to the calendar.
The Republican side is now proposing four presidential debates and an additional vice-presidential showdown.
Because who can credibly argue that it’s not important to listen to Number Twos when the candidates are 81 and 77? (I’d rather have almost anyone on my list besides the most unpopular vice president in modern political history.)
So, as of this moment, there are two debates on the agenda.
But make me skeptical.
The June debate will be a tense event for Biden.
He currently has a national job approval rating of 38 percent, which is the lowest ever achieved by a sitting president at this point in his term.
If you come out of that first debate looking weak and wobbly, expect Biden to pull the cord in the second confrontation and make some excuse, like Trump is too mean or Joe needs to wash his hair.
So, there is another distinct possibility that must be considered.
If Biden really fails in that June debate, let’s hope the Democratic Party pulls the strings against him!
The Democratic National Convention is scheduled for August 19 in Chicago.
They would have about six weeks to circle around an alternative Democratic presidential candidate and nominate him. them for president instead of Biden.
The Hail Mary is in the air.
Will Joe drop it?
