I watched the debate last night, all of it.  What I saw is one man who lies and lies and lies and doesn’t answer questions about what he would do about child care, and who claims he is an environmentalist.  If the world blew up with lies, it would have blown up last night.

Yes, President Biden stumbles.  He let Trump’s lies get to him but that shows he is human, and we want someone with a heart in the White House.  Having spent years in Toastmasters, I would have coached Biden differently, and wondered why he wasn’t told to slow down, and make one, two, or three points.  I also would have said “my administration has done” to take the focus off of him, and onto the many people who support the running of the government.

A good quarterback thanks the team.  This is not a one-man operation though we like to pretend it is.  We want a frontman, someone who supposedly does it all but Ronald Reagan had Alzheimers and yet the country ran.  I wish we could look at the content of what the Biden administration has done, and not a man who is rattled by a bully who lies.  How many of us could stay cool amidst outright lies?  Trump has made it clear he’ll put those who oppose him in jail if he wins.  He almost makes it clear he won’t respect the vote count and system. He’ll try a coup again. This is frightening stuff, so let’s hope we can stay with the facts, and elect someone who cares.

I recommend you read all of Robert Hubbell today but I offer a taste.

Robert Hubbell: The hypocrisy and double standard is sickening. One candidate on the stage lied from start to finish. And no one is suggesting that he drop out.

Here’s my takeaway: Joe Biden learned a lot tonight. Every statement Biden makes from this point forward should include “convicted felon,” adjudicated sexual abuser, “hush money to porn star,” stolen classified documents, and Trump believing veterans are suckers and losers. Those statements are all true and they are what is necessary for Joe Biden to break through the constant stream of lies that spew from Trump’s mouth.

It is also clear that the debate format is broken. It is silly. It is unfair. But that is a topic for another night, not an excuse for tonight.  In many ways, this is the start of the fight, not the end. Trump lied every moment he opened his mouth. We can deal with that when we are not constrained by two-minute alternative sound bites. 

Hubbell suggests we donate to Biden’s campaign to show support, any amount shows support. Here’s a link to Hubbell’s Substack.

https://roberthubbell.substack.com/

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

– Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

My heart votes for the heart that was on display last night, a heart that rattles and speaks the truth.