“the time is now and the place is here and … there are no second chances”
Jeanette Winterson
The most important date of this year’s presidential campaign is just a week away when President Biden and former President Trump faceoff in a debate hosted by CNN, where they will not be allowed props or written notes, there will not be any partisan or distracting live-audience, and the candidates’ microphones will be muted when their allotted time is over, preventing either of them interrupting and talking-over the other.
Biden must demonstrate the poise and forcefulness he exhibited during this year’s State of the Union address as he has far more to lose from a weak performance. Any real or perceptual hints of cognitive decline Trump could exploit, factual misstatements, or major gaffes will likely end his realistic chances of winning another term.
The coalition of Democrat and independent voters who propelled him to the White House in 2020 has shown fractures and appears is far less reliable this year; a few now supporting Trump while others indicating they might stay home or cast protest votes for a third-party alternative such as Kennedy, Oliver, Stein or West.
Where Trump is concerned, his MAGA base and intimidated Congressional and other political sycophants will immediately jump to his defense, ignoring or deflecting any criticisms of his performance, while finding excuses for any debate blunders, echoing the mantra, “That’s just Trump being Trump.”
Biden must counter any challenges to his mental fitness. He needs to push Trump to provide specifics on his vision for America, what era his Make America Great Again slogan refers to, and his detailed plans for improving the current robust the economy, immigration reform after strong-arming Congressional Republicans to kill a bi-partisan immigration bill, settling the wars in the Ukraine and Gaza and commitments to NATO.
With respect to the economy and energy production, the president must clearly highlight his Administration’s accomplishment, comparing them with the situations he inherited, and explain why some challenges are beyond the control of any president or even that of Congress.
Where social issues are concerned, he should challenge Trump to explain and justify his stances on climate change, abortion services, gay and interracial marriage, contraception, weakening America’s founding principles of the separation of church and state, protecting Obamacare which he tried to eliminate and observing strict adherence to the Constitution. The former president will have to decide on appealing to his conservative and evangelical base or swing-state independents who overwhelmingly support protecting those rights.
If Biden’s debate performance is less than near-perfect, he and the Democratic Party must quickly and realistically evaluate his reelection prospects and whether the frightening specter of a second Trump presidency is enough to convince him to step aside.
Were that to happen, Democrats would have just seven weeks to select and coalesce around a new candidate, one with popular electoral appeal and no personal or political skeletons Republicans could easily uncover and exploit.
Uncomfortably, Biden’s heir-apparent, Kamala Harris, is even less popular than her boss and not selecting her could create new intra-party schisms. However, as with the president, she and her supporters would face a gut-wrenching decision as to whether personal considerations or defeating Trump is of paramount importance.
Fortunately, there are several bright, knowledgeable and articulate candidates in the wings, including a new generation of younger Democratic governors; Newsom of California, Whitmer of Michigan, Moore of Maryland and Shapiro of Pennsylvania … each with impressive skills and electoral expertise.
There is an old adage that your get only one opportunity to make a good impression … and this is Joe Biden’s one and final chance!
