Rafe's Forwarded Notes on the Trump/Biden 'debate' - 29/6

David Blackmon Jun 28, 2024

[Here are the notes I took during the just completed debate. More thoughts in the morning.]

Question 1: Economy

Holy cow, Biden sounds and looks awful to start the debate. I mean awful. He is so obviously reciting stuff from memory he sounds desperate to get it all out before his memory fails him.

Trump, speaking calmly and clearly, not nervous, not looking infirm. The contrast is stunning.

Question 2: Tax cuts

Trump: His command of the facts is amazing.

Biden: Standing there looking pale and confused.

But now, Trump wandering into comparing death stats on COVID between administrations - this will turn independent voters off.

Biden rebuttal: His voice sounds terrible, mumbling, keeps misstating numbers and correcting himself. He is so desperate to get his memorized talking points out…and now has a horrible senior moment…”we finally beat Medicare…”

Trump: Well, he’s right, he really beat Medicare. [Hilarious]

Question 3: Abortion (can’t believe this wasn’t the first question)

Trump: Answer was all over the place. Should have kept it simple instead.

Biden: Has a little life for the first time. But now gets confused again, stammering.

Trump: Fantastic response bridging Biden’s claim of women dying to women being murdered by illegal aliens.

Biden: Again, just standing there looking confused.

Question 4: Another Dana Bash question on abortion. Do you support any limits.

Biden: I support Roe v. Wade. Dumb answer, but it’s the best he can do.
”And if I’m elected, I’m going to restore Roe v. Wade” What???

Trump: “he’s gonna rip the baby out of the womb in the 9th month and kill it.”

Biden: We’re not for late term abortions.

Trump: Under Roe you have late term abortions.

CNN cuts the question off in order to prevent Trump from responding further.

Question 5: Illegal immigration.

Biden: rambling, stuttering, stammering, no clue what he’s saying.

Trump: “I really don’t know what he said and I don’t think he knows either.” BRILLIANT!

Again, CNN cuts off the topic to prevent Trump from responding. This is how they’re trying to tilt the debate.

On Tapper’s followup: Trump makes a fantastic statement about illegal immigrant crime, and Biden stands there looking like a confused resident in a senior home.

General impression: Trump is getting too agitated, and needs to calm down.

Yet again, CNN gives Biden the final word.

Question 6: Ukraine

Trump: Again brings up horrible Afghanistan exit - very smart. Says Putin was emboldened, which is true.

But again, Trump is getting too agitated. Hope he calms down during the break.

Biden: Ridiculous non-answer to the question.

And yet again, CNN gives Biden the final word.

It’s every. damn. question.

Question 7: Middle East

Biden: Stammering again, and now going all wonk on ceasefire proposal. Again, so obviously just reciting stuff from memory. He just sounds so awful and tired an OOOOOOLD.

Trump: Goes back to Ukraine, and Biden looks stunned. Hilarious.

Biden: NATO, Putin, Poland, just utter bullshit stuff.

Trump: The problem we have is we spend all the money.

Key thing: Trump looks youthful and energetic next to Biden. This is a GREAT contrast for Trump. Biden just looks and sounds like a confused old man.

Question 8: Jan 6 question (of course)

Trump: On Jan. 6, we had a great border, energy independence, low taxes, low regulations, were respected all over the world. Now he comes in and we’re laughed at.

Smart answer.

Biden: Lies about what happened, to the extent he can get words out. He keeps forgetting his words, and his voice is almost a whisper.

Ordinary viewers will focus on Biden’s appearance, not his words.

And now, Biden makes first reference to “convicted felon.”

Question9: Will trump go after political opponents?

Trump: References Hunter’s conviction. Dumb answer.

Tapper gives Biden extra time, because of course he does.

Trump makes mistake going into details on his criminal cases - should have just said I’ll let the people decide what they think about the rigging of the system.

Question 10: MAGA determined to destroy democracy?

Biden: lies about his son dying in Iraq. Unreal. Then rolls out the “fine people” hoax again. Unbelievable.

Trump gets Biden into a prolonged harangue on the “fine people” thing. That’s brilliant, because even Tapper has admitted it’s a hoax.

And again, they give Biden the last word.

Commercial break

Question 11: What do you say to black voters who are disappointed?

Biden: Starts rattling off stats and nonsense, but keeps stuttering and losing his words. Horrible answer.

Trump: “And he caused the inflation, and it’s killing black families, hispanic families, and everybody. I gave him a country with no inflation, and he destroyed it.”

And then bridges to the damage from open borders. Fantastic.

Biden: Rattles off more nonsense. Stuttering, stammering, talking about Trump wanting to cut the cops. My goodness.

CNN gives Biden the last word, and that’s fine.

Question 12: Climate crisis.

Trump: Debunks Biden claim he wants to cut police, and goes back to black community damage by Biden. Not even addressing the idiotic climate question.

Bash: Will you take any action on climate?

Trump: I want immaculate clean water and air, we had the best numbers ever, we had the best environmental numbers ever. Dumb stuff.

Biden: I passed the most extensive climate legislation in history. And by the way, on black colleges, I passed blah blah blah. Completely indecipherable answer.

Trump: The Paris accord was going to cost us a Trillion dollars, and I ended it.

Biden: Just can’t find his words. Now he’s picking his nose. Unbelievable.

Note: If you took a shot every time Biden said “but the idea that…” tonight, you’d die of alcohol poisoning.

Question 13: Social Security

Biden: tries to answer, but still can’t use his words. This is sad and elder abuse.

Then accuses Trump of wanting to get rid of Social Security. Abject bullshit.

Trump: {should say there you go again, Joe} I’ve never seen anybody lie like this guy. Everything he does is a lie. It’s misinformation and disinformation.

CNN gives Biden the last word. Again.

Question 14: Cost of child care

Trump: Really bad answer here. Completely off topic.

Biden: But Trump did piss Biden off and gave him some life. Suddenly, his drugs might have kicked in. Panders to parents of young children.

Trump: Goes back to who rates who’s the worst president. Terrible stuff, he’s giving back his edge from early in the debate. Not good. He’s going to lose lots of young moms votes here.

Biden: Talking to Trump as if he’s the incumbent suddenly, Tapper cuts him off.

Question 15: Opioid crisis

Trump: back and forth over the largest deficit. Losing issue for Trump because of COVID.

Tapper: What about addiction?

Trump: Bad answer on this. No specifics on Fentanyl, which he should knock out of the park.

Biden: Fentanyl went down for awhile. (ok, so what?) Again, can’t find his words.

Trump: AGain just can’t answer this question. Really bad.

Observation: Trump is giving back all of his gains from the first half of the debate.

Question 16: Age

Biden: This guy’s 3 years younger and a lot less competent. Look at my record. Then a lot of all over the place stuff that makes no damn sense at all.

Trump: I took 2 cognitive tests and aced them. He won’t take one.

Biden: Claims to be a 6 handicap. Unreal.

Question 17: Will you accept the result of the election and reject political violence?

Trump: I shouldn’t have to say that, but of course I believe that. And then goes off on a rant and a tangent. Not good.

Biden: We’ll be in WWII because he’ll let Putin do what he wants.

Trump: Putin took a lot from Biden and Bush and Obama, but took nothing from me. (good answer) Ukraine can’t win this war. (he’s right)

Bash: Will you accept the result of the election?

Trump: If it’s a free and fair election, absolutely.

Biden: You’re a whiner. I doubt you’ll accept it because you’re such a whiner. (very presidential, Joe)

Again, CNN gives Biden the last word.

Commercial break.

Question 18: Closing statements (thank God)

Biden: Sounds worse than ever. Lies about taxes. Lies about Trump increasing taxes. Lies about inflation. Lies about Trump wanting to tax you more. Lies about Medicare. Loses his words one more time. Lies about Insulin. Lies about fentanyl. Lies about federal debt. Lies about child care. Lies about lead pipes. Lies about inflation.

Trump: This man is just a complainer. He doesn’t do anything. All he does is make the country unsafe. Goes through a littany of Biden mistakes. “For 3-1/2 years we’re living in hell. The whole country is exploding. No one respects you.”

Observation: Trump won, bigly. Biden’s appearance and weak voice alone ensures that.

Odds of Biden being taken off the ticket just went up. Bigly.