By now I’m sure that you all have read, listened to or watched all kinds of analysis on last night’s debate. Get ready for just a little more, because I’m about to give you my two cents on the topic.
First we’re going to start with the results of yesterday’s Snap Poll. I asked what you thought was going to happen at the debate and who would interrupt first.
I have to admit, I voted for the shitshow. However, this is one time I’m glad I was wrong. Last night’s debate was far better than the first. Substantive issues were discussed, there were very few times when the candidates talked over one another. The moderator, Kristen Welker, while not perfect, did a reasonable job.
There were a couple of instances that really stood out to me.
There was a period, a little more than halfway through, where I thought Joe was going to lose it. He started slurring his words, became somewhat incoherent and flailed around trying to find his place. From that point on, he struggled, even if he regained some of his composure.
The other thing that really stood out to me was when Trump cornered Joe on the fossil fuel industry. Joe and the rest of his team have been furiously trying to walk back that statement ever since. Of the entire campaign, I think that one exchange caused Joe more damage than anything else.
Related: Presidential Debate Livestream
Some other random observations from last night.
Joe painted a dismal picture of the future, the line “we’re not learning to live with covid, we’re dying from it” made me want to smash my TV.
For the record, the 220,000 that have died in the US from/with covid represents .006% of the population.
Trump had a great couple of lines, “we all can’t hide in the basement like Joe” and you seem to have made a lot of money somewhere”
Joe came off as lecturing during his two minute periods and tried to be folksy during the rest.
Both of them got the numbers wrong on the catch and release thing. The average of no shows is around 40%.
Joe claimed there is no correlation between increasing minimum wage and business survival. That’s clearly and proveably false.