2020 Vice Presidential Debate: In the Land of the Shoshone
This post is dedicated to discussion of the Vice Presidential debate between current VP Mike Pence and Democratic VP candidate Senator Kamala Harris.
The debate is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM ET and will take place in the Nancy Peery Marriott Auditorium at the University of Utah’s Kingsbury Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah.
University of Utah’s efforts to prevent the dispersion of the candidates’ aerosolized exhalations — particularly those of Pence who has been in contact with infected persons within the last week — are absolutely laughable, evident in this photo of the stage (via NBC):
Harris had asked for a plexiglass partition between the candidates which the Commission on Presidential Debates approved though not without complaint by Team Pence. What the Commission furnished is a joke, clearing the candidates’ heads by no more than 18″.
Check-out clerks at major grocery store chains and banks have more protection than this.
I’m crossing my fingers that Harris’s people have reached out to SC Senate candidate Jaime Harrison to see if they could borrow the folding plexiglass screen he used when debating Lindsey Graham.
Or found a mask with a built-in mic (why hasn’t this become a thing?) so that she has more protection but is still audible.
~ ~ ~
Like the three Presidential debates, this event is booked in a red state venue. None of the events organized by the allegedly nonpartisan, nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates is scheduled for a blue state.
Partisan bias could well explain the casual attitude toward infection control.
Utah’s state nickname is the Gateway to the West, but Native Americans know this is land taken from Ute, Paiute, and Shoshone tribes. Though some of the state falls under sketchy treaties, Salt Lake City itself is unceded land of the Northwestern Shoshone. Let’s hope this is recognized at some point during the evening.
USA Today’s Susan Page is the scheduled moderator, who has a conflict of interest:
… A potential conflict of interest has arisen in the vice-presidential debate. In late 2018, moderator Susan Page hosted a party in honor of Mike Pence’s protégé Seema Verma, who runs the Medicare and Medicaid programs for the Trump administration. As New York’s Ed Kilgore notes, the controversy centers on “whether a working journalist at Page’s level who has been hobnobbing with Mike Pence’s best-known associate in the Trump administration ought to be moderating his debate with Kamala Harris.” …
And in spite of the hubbub which arose when this conflict of interest was identified, Page and USA Today have refused to do anything about it — apparently there are no other journalists at USA Today covering the presidential race who are free of conflicts…? Or COVID-negative?
Sure hope it comes up in the debate that Mike Pence has had to return to DC when Air Force 2 was turned around mid-flight on its way to or from New Hampshire not once but twice in the last 18 months.
Has any journalist confirmed it was Air Force 2 hitting a bird which caused Pence to turn around on September 22 and not something else? Or did they leave it to Pence’s communications people to explain this?
~ ~ ~
Add these two dates to your calendar for the remaining two presidential debates — if Trump is healthy enough to participate:
Thursday 15-OCT-2020
9:00–10:30 p.m. ET
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Miami, Florida
Moderator: Steve Scully, C-SPAN
Thursday 22-OCT-2020
8:00–9:30 p.m. ET
Curb Event Center at Belmont University
Nashville, Tennessee
Moderator: Kristen Welker, NBC
I’m not holding my breath for these.
The self-check machines at my grocery store have at least that much protection – and everyone is wearing a mask (no guarantees they’re wearing it correctly, but at least they’re trying).
A timely report on Pence’s roll as head of the Covid task force in closing the borders in March resulting in a record 150,000 expulsions.
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-10-05/mike-pence-close-borders-cdc-experts-refused
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/08/04/border-migrant-children-hotels/
Everything about that plexiglass (and the rest of the set) looks like some SNL joke. Besides the height, I am bothered by the rounded edges — which just minimize the protection (or ‘protection’) some more.
So bothered by this, that they are going minimalist with what’s at stake and given current pestilence loci.
Glasses or goggles are going to become must-wears, too.
Adding: realized why that plexi set up is so bothersome, besides: reminds me of those z-shields they advertise that flip up to the face: nice idea, but you can just see the aerosols floating right down into people’s faces from their low-rise, curved edges.
The debate commission screwed this up, and I am dubious that they will do any better when Trump inevitably plays hardball over the next week fighting any safety measures, even if he knows he won’t be able to show up.
They are a classic case of an institution that is so incapable of taking a stand in the name of maintaining its credibility that it is destroying all of its credibility. I am guessing that the GOP side of the commission is playing the usual GOP games, and it’s time for the rest of the commission to face facts — they’re toast if they play along, so they may as well do the right thing.
If ever there was a time that push has come to shove, that time is now — the rest of the commission might recognize that sensibility here has great traction with the public (to whom the don’t answer, sure, though they give cues like public perception does matter to them). There’s no way such an event should take place with Trump and Biden in the same room.
I think you’re lean is correct, though, and that this will come down to Trump getting his “win” via lack of appropriate “concessions” (since that’s what public health-natsec measures have become now) even though he won’t show.
I suppose it’s possible he could show, bolstered by an “atypical” course of his dex or some other pharmassistance. True, he is a sick man and the COVID often rings twice, but he’s also defied expectations before. It’s just unclear how much anyone has the power to help him out of this jam. We’ll get some answer if we ever see him (able to) speak, at length, in public, in the coming days.
I think Biden is more likely to refuse to lose (his life) to a rampaging lunatic who could kill Biden by coughing in his direction. As a matter of national security, protecting Biden needs to be a priority over the nonsense of these steel cage melées.
Also, lol that Mayo Pete played the Pence smooth-operator role in debate prep: actually perfect.
—
905p: I should not be playing this game, Page is already grating to the bone.
Right?
She’s barely trying to maintain the appearance of reining in Pence.
Guess I’ve got SNL on the brain, but it’s easy to see Eddie Murphy doing a Mr. Robinson’s Neighborhood skit:
*thwacks pointer* This is structural racism, kids.
*thwack, thwack* Or is it … institutional sexism. [OK, Eddie Murphy wouldn’t deliver that line]
Why not both?
I would have preferred a Trumpian Wall of Plexiglas for this debate stage.
Is it just the play of lights, or does Pence have redness of the lateral sclera of his left eye? Subconjunctival hemorrhage (benign) or viral conjunctivitis?
COVID19 can cause “pink eye” in the middle phase of the disease. https://bjo.bmj.com/content/104/6/748.long
Oh jeebus. That’s what it looks like, pink eye. https://twitter.com/chrisgeidner/status/1314009901958606848
per Mayo Clinic:
COVID-19 might cause eye problems such as enlarged, red blood vessels, swollen eyelids, excessive watering and increased discharge. The infection also might cause light sensitivity and irritation. These symptoms are more common in people with severe infections.
I “Mother” spit on her a a hanky and used it to wipe Little Mikey’s eyebrows a and hair into place…just like dear Ole Mom. An acceptable and believable explanation would be Pence does not wash his hands in the bathroom.
That’s funny, I was looking at his right lateral eye as worse, but think you may be correct that it could be lighting: when he erects his head, it seems to go away. Comes back when he leans (to the right).
Definitely something there in the left eye, especially noticeable when he looks right towards Kamala Harris
Yeah the left one sticks (remains red that way). [During one of his lies he nearly rolled that eyeball (in particular) up into his head. Like lots of habitual liars planning their lies, he rotates them oddly and with his left one, if’s also rotated laterally so it’s less often you get to see that sclera — iris is way to the outside when he looks forward.]
—
Wait, what is that flake of black-gray stuff on his right hair, is that some *stuff floating around the debate stage*?
1020p: now that flake of stuff is gone. There IS stuff floating around. I was looking away to type and I missed its fate.
Did anyone see the flake of stuff?
—
I see below now that klynn 1019p reports that it was a fly. LOL
Genus & species: stercus comedenti, colloquially known as the ship-eating fly
I had switched from TV to listening to the debate on the radio, so I missed all the fun.
Looks like both eyes, in the best view I saw.
I wonder what *his* test results look like, assuming he really gets tested.
I wasn’t able to find a still, but when they replayed the moment the fly landed on him, it showed one of the times when you can see the red (also affected-looking) outer right eye, with his head tilted down to the right side, that ‘vanishes’ when he straightens up.
Good grief, doesn’t look good.
Seriously, for all the instances he sat there and bald-faced lied, why wouldn’t he (they) lie about personal testing (AGAIN).
I hope the Biden team took notice and steered clear of him.
Me, too: can you imagine how mortified they must have been at the very sight…
[Keep thinking of that Richard Hasen blog Rayne has frequently posted re the uncertainty (and GOP opportunism) that would ensue should a candidate perish. Besides, of course, of the candidates’ welfare]
Here’s a good pic of it:
https://twitter.com/UrsulaV/status/1314261678549327873
Pence…I’m still asking myself why Manafort picked Pence?
Heard Rick Gates explain why on Skullduggery podcast from yesterday. He wanted someone who was different from Trump and brought a constituency. Trump was thinking Chris Christie or Newt Gingrich. Manafort pointed out that they were similar to Trump, and would try to have their own presidency within a presidency if VP. Trump thought better of Pence in thinking about that.
He also didn’t have a lot of choices.
Chris Christie and Sessions were other options, but Christie had little sway with the Christian authoritarian movement and Sessions had more baggage. Also Indiana was more useful than Alabama as a base.
Jared Kushner might have nixed Christie as well. This from Wikipedia about Jared’s father, Charles: “In 2005, following an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey,[12] U.S. Attorney Chris Christie negotiated a plea agreement with him, under which he pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering.” I think Charles went to jail for a couple of years.
Pence is talking over Harris and routinely blows through the time limits to spew preferred talking points. Somewhat nicer than DJT but the same tactical plan.
OT, but in my neighborhood, we have not had mail delivery for three days now, which just happened to coincide with the ballot mailing of 05 OCT 2020. I’ve already notified my rep (Khanna) about this, as well as the USPS and our local muckraking Metro newspaper. Is anyone else seeing this?
Oh, no. That doesn’t bode well, since it sounds like we’re in the same general neck of the woods. We’ve been getting our mail, but I’ll not be breathing easily until I turn my ballot around.
First ballots showed up in my area of L.A. on Saturday – I picked mine up at the mailbox place yesterday.
Different area, we’ve had mail oddities for months.
Got our ballots on Saturday, we voted today and I dropped them in the drive-up vote box in San Mateo, just off hwy 92.
I just saw someone refer to mansplaining as ‘correctile dysfunction’.
I’m down in San Diego. My ballot arrived on Monday, and the voter information booklets arrived Tuesday. Not sure what’s going on in your district, it doesn’t sound good. I hope there’s not mass-illness or worse.
2000 to the “average” American household, or 2000 average to 128 million American households. For sure not the latter. The secret sauce is the mystery “average” household Pence talks of has around in 150,000 in annual income because that is how much income you need to get that 2,000 tax cut. https://www.npr.org/2017/12/19/571754894/charts-see-how-much-of-gop-tax-cuts-will-go-to-the-middle-class
That fly in Pence’s hair was too funny.
Fly on the buttermilk
Shoo buttermilk shoo
Twitter is blowing up with “fly on a turd.”
Flies like poo.
Humans cannot survive on a diet of dung, and can actually get very sick from it due to the many disease it carries. Thus, not only are we not attracted to dung, but we actually find the odors repulsive.
Video producer Timothy Burke has the closeup —
https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1314029118279897089
Ha, ha, I think Putin planted a bug in Mike’s hair to remind him to put a good word in for the White Supremacist House:
“Shoo Fly, Don’t Bother Me” | CoComelon Nursery Rhymes & Kids Songs
https://youtu.be/Y350KWvWVr8
OR
“I sent the fly. – RBG”
https://twitter.com/kenolin1/status/1314034789876285442
“Meet the Autonomous Insect Robots That Will One Day Swarm the Skies”
https://youtu.be/XZKAGEV7bw0
Pretty fly for a white guy
That fly will have to spend half of it’s life in quarantine now
A fly sat on Mike Pence’s head
because he looked as good as dead.
Indeed he did; he was positively gray.
Loved the fly on Pence’s hair.
[Haha, it was fun while it lasted, but go back to your original username, Terrence. /~Rayne]
Pence:
I’m confident we are going to win.
(No answer to the question of peaceful transition.)
He spent a lot of time answering questions he wasn’t asked, and not answering the ones he *was* asked.
Pence was all about emoting, and it felt very false and superficial.
Kamela was about facts, clearly delivered.
How can a zombie emote? /s
Pence underscored Trump’s plan to contest the ballots, challenge the vote, and bring whatever result comes in before the Supreme Court.
This is something that continues to be pushed aside in favor of other issues…but I cannot escape the impression that many seem to expect or hope that “Trump won’t do that”.
They’re wrong. It is his plan.
flies are attracted to poop.
Emblematic of Trump’s vow to send law enforcement, ICE, attorneys and other authorities to have a ‘show of force’ and intimidate presumed illegals and others from voting, many in Massachusetts were taken aback by the strident presence of ICE agents, in broad daylight, interdicting innocent passersby.
Yesterday, in West Roxbury, MA, two unmarked SUVs stopped and 6-8 agents jumped out to interrogate a black man jogging on a thoroughfare in West Roxbury. The jogger had the presence of mind to record it on his phone. The Mayor of Boston and the ACLU went public with complaints.
This is in a blue state.
No word from the ‘moderate® Republican governor.
Our ‘moderate®’ Republican governor is too busy huffing fugitive methane from the Weymouth compressor site with his hands tied behind his back to comment. No time for even a “You might very well think that – I couldn’t possibly comment.”
my town is reviewing the compressor proposals while Trump has the country in an illegal chokehold.
I can’t breathe.
Don’t think tonight will move the needle for this election. Good audition for Presidential run later for each of them though.
Pence won’t have a chance to run again.
I’m still fixated on the fly. The fact that he never felt it says so much.
Pence’s pink eye was an upsetting sign with all his covid exposures. He did not look well.
What was going on with the side of his forehead and cheekbone ? I never saw the eye.
This is very worrisome, especially because it wasn’t just conjunctivitis, it was also redness around the eyelids themselves. This specific symptom (eyelid redness, like a patient had red eyeliner on) was seen in the sickest nursing home patients with COVID-19, during the early outbreak reports in Seattle and elsewhere. Many of those patients crumped shortly thereafter and died. It has otherwise been rarely seen. To be fair, though, these specific symptoms were all described by nursing home personnel, and are not specifically mentioned in the published literature other than noting mild conjunctivitis.
Nonetheless, I picked up on it immediately having read those anecdotal accounts early on. At first, I thought I was crazy, but I see that many others noticed it too. That’s not what typical conjunctivitis looks like, I’m pretty sure he’s got COVID.
There’s an outstanding illustration of what you’re talking about (the pink eyelid rims) in one of Trump’s proof-of-life videos (the Saturday night one, I think).
Turns out there’s a still photo showing this on the home page, for this post:
https://www.emptywheel.net/2020/10/06/federalist-society-super-spreader-plausible-deniability/
That’s why the fly landed on his head. They can smell pending death.
Jake Tapper’s Twitter has some really interesting observations by folks; here’s a good one:
“Buckle Up
@Buckleup36
·
21h
Not only was PENCE at the Gold Star Family event and the super-spreader Amy Coney Barret event in the Rose Garden, PENCE was also at the National Mall with thousands of people for a prayer march hours before the SCOTUS event.
UNMASKED at all 3 events.”
https://twitter.com/Olivianuzzi/status/1313170750405255168
1:34 PM · Oct 5, 2020
I managed to get a quick iPhone pic of the fly on the P-head. For the hystery of the moment.
The Biden Victory Fund is promoting a blue fly swatter with “Truth over flies” written on the handle for $10 on Instagram.
“Helmet hair” is not necessarily restricted to Orange County Republican womyns…
Glad 2 C the flyswatters are selling. Just know that schadenfreude is frowned upon by the Heaven’s as well.
We’ve won! Stop both the worry and concern.
The Orange Demon is Gone. Like in a bad way.
Be concerned about the senate end result.
Perhaps our new Moses will fly there too.
Stephen Colbert was live – great piece about the fly. LOL! Starts at 7:28; however the entire monologue is worth seeing.
Like Flies On What? Stephen Colbert Goes LIVE After The Pence-Harris VP Debate
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iBAqh6JAFw)
Mayor Peter’s zinger at 3:02
Pete Buttigieg: Pence can deliver ‘outrageous’ talking points with a straight face
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrS3QIfw_LQ&feature=emb_logo)
Joe Donnelly, former Dem Senator from Indiana to Mike Pence
https://twitter.com/JoeforIndiana/status/1314025045308649476
10:09 PM · Oct 7, 2020
Trump asked Walter Reed doctors to sign nondisclosure agreements in 2019
At least two Walter Reed doctors who refused to sign nondisclosure agreements last year were not permitted to be involved in Trump’s care.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-asked-walter-reed-doctors-sign-non-disclosure-agreements-2019-n1242293
Oct. 8, 2020, 5:00 AM
These NDAs that Trump is always throwing around…Who are the parties to the agreement? Trump as an individual, or the federal government?
I suspect those aren’t legal NDAs. But until Congress and the courts tell him “H3ll no”, he’ll keep doing it.
For me, this is a special concern for military members on active duty. If the service member’s JAG reviewed and approved the NDA, then that would be reassuring. But if members are signing unapproved legal agreements relating to actions taken in performance of their official duties, that’s worrisome.
I hope someone with more understanding of the UCMJ will comment, (Rugger9 ?) but I find it hard to believe that a member of the military could legally sign a NDA.
At last some sanity: second presidential debate will be virtual:
https://twitter.com/jeneps/status/1314164596375203840
Except that Trump is now refusing because a virtual event would be a waste of His time…
ha! lol!
…and…Trump wimps out:
https://twitter.com/MarcACaputo/status/1314183078848458759
8:37 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Ratfvcker laying the groundwork, 10/7/20:
Roger Stone: why Trump should skip the Miami debate
The Presidential Commission on Debates is a set-up
https://spectator.us/trump-should-skip-miami-debate-roger-stone/
October 7, 2020 5:30 AM
I was dubious the commission would take a stand, so good for them for taking the step, even though they should have done it from the beginning.
Trump is already rejecting it. I hope they stay the course. The next one is a town hall format, and there is no reason Biden can’t do it solo.
This puts Trump in a bind, but it’s his fault. He could legitimately claim a medical deferral (unlike for the draft) but that would undercut his current BS. He could participate, but he would look bad even if he was 100% healthy.
Or he can bail and look weak. In which case the commission and the networks should let Biden have the airtime to answer questions from voters. It would still be newsworthy and a valid TV event. There is no justification for cancelling unless Trump is honest about his condition.
Unknown: what’s in the debate rule agreement.
The debate is scheduled. Go ahead and keep the appointment. If there’s a no-show, just as in court, default judgement for the one who appears. Simple. Straightforward.
Also unknown: what is in the debate agreement that might provide for one of the parties failing to perform their covenants – fines, charges, costs, remedies.
Notwithstanding that some of the rules have been amended (unilaterally?), ad hoc. Since this thing (contract) has been so flexible, how is any (notwithstanding severance) of it enforceable?
Cheryl Rofer‘s response when Tim O’Brien wonders whether Pence had thought through how his CONSTANT INTERRUPTIONS looked/felt to women voters:
https://twitter.com/CherylRofer/status/1314178602557112320
8:19 AM · Oct 8, 2020
The numbers, via Laura Rozen:
https://twitter.com/saletan/status/1314074829914624005
1:27 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Pence’s mansplaining attracted a fly.
As I said last night, someone referred to mansplaining as ‘correctile dysfunction’.
Pence’s covid eyes need to be discussed today. He probably put Kamala at risk. That potential act of irresponsibility should be investigated.
Who is going to “investigate” it? Based on what evidence? Do you think rank internet speculation “as seen on TV” supersedes HIPAA and other confidentiality rights? Based on what theory?
So based on HIPAA or any other privacy considerations, we should not discuss any personal details about anybody whatsoever?
A figure in the public arena (Pence, Trump, Biden, Harris) should be able to have discussion about their apparent external behaviors and appearance discussed.
And yes, the investigative journalists have done a much better job of looking into public figures than the official investigators.
I realize that there is a lot of crap that is published by the independent media but it is usually better than the crap that is published by the entrenched interests.
Yes, I think people blowing poo out their butts based on non-medical internet gossip gleaned from a poor definition TV feed is bogus. And, frankly, a tad sick.
Senator Mike Lee says the quiet part out loud:
The GOP is ANTI-DEMOCRACY
https://twitter.com/SenMikeLee/status/1314089207875371008
2:24 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Did he flunk elementary school US history and civics?
SACRIFICE is for you LOSERS! [#gazillion]
https://twitter.com/vermontgmg/status/1314158642460061696
7:00 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Top White House aide hosted lavish Atlanta wedding in May despite virus restrictions
Atlanta Journal Constitution
OT, but when I click on Rayne’s Twitter in the scroll bar on the right, it comes up as saying “Caution: This account is temporarily restricted. You’re seeing this warning because there has been some unusual activity from this account. Do you still want to view it?”.
What’s going on?
LOL I had to re-log into my account after signing out, hadn’t passed my Are You Human test yet.
Let me know if you see that message again after refreshing, thanks. :-)
Military Medical Ethics and Dr. Conley’s Misrepresentations of the President’s Health
https://www.justsecurity.org/72725/military-medical-ethics-and-dr-conleys-misrepresentations-of-the-presidents-health/
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Stephen N. Xenakis, MD and Jonathan Moreno
October 8, 2020
Trump, today:
https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1314178706970152961
8:19 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Trump on 10/1, to Hannity about Hicks [my transcript]:
https://twitter.com/ccadelago/status/1311848981111214080
10:02 PM · Oct 1, 2020
…”and
she knows there’s a risk!That’s almost a “sir” story. He’s used that line a lot of times, about people wanting to hug and kiss him. To which my response is “EEEEEWWWWW”.
Mebbe they wanted to re-fresh their orange lipstick?
[added: Marcy’s already on this on twitter…should have known!]
SIRENS
Feds say they thwarted militia plot to kidnap Whitmer
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/08/feds-thwart-militia-plot-kidnap-michigan-gov-gretchen-whitmer/5922301002/
Robert Snell The Detroit News 10/8/20
FBI affidavit:
Conspirators wanted to kidnap gov to remote Wisconsin location
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/08/fbi-affidavit-conspirators-kidnap-gov-remote-wisconsin-location/5923989002/
The Detroit News 12:23 pm. ET 10/8/20
FBI affidavit: Conspirators wanted to kidnap gov to remote Wisconsin location https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2020/10/08/fbi-affidavit-conspirators-kidnap-gov-remote-wisconsin-location/5923989002/ The Detroit News 12:23 pm. ET 10/8/20
Here’s Marcy’s thread: https://twitter.com/emptywheel/status/1314228067221602306
11:36 AM · Oct 8, 2020
I’m wondering about mikes with timers/automatic shutoffs, so anyone going overtime gets cut off. (It’s definitely nonpartisan!)
Hmmm….lost a comment here about this:
https://twitter.com/emptywheel/status/1314228067221602306
11:36 AM · Oct 8, 2020
Here’s JJ MacNab with a read through of the affidavit:
https://twitter.com/jjmacnab/status/1314230554607448067 11:45 AM · Oct 8, 2020
I am always a bit cautious with these cases because the FBI has a very mixed record, with some agents pushing the limits of entrapment.
But these guys seem serious and were not just flapping their lips. They were working out how to make bombs. I’m glad some people in the federal government are taking this seriously despite who is President.
What I saw was that they’d already tried making a couple of IEDs. That’s into “serious about it” territory.
“I heard a Fly buzz” – by Emily Dickinson
https://poets.org/poem/i-heard-fly-buzz-465
Dickinson’s Poetry: “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—…” | SparkNotes
https://www.sparknotes.com/poetry/dickinson/section8/
ha! nice one
As the one infected with the Coronavirus, Trump’s refusal to hold a virtual debate is irresponsible, though I admit that, with Trump, the description is redundant. It’s easy to see why. Trump is incapable of engaging in fact and argument based debate. He can’t absorb one or perform the other.
His “debate” is performance art. He riffs off the other guy, which is enabled by moderators who usually ask Biden to answer first. If Trump had to answer first, he would have to initiate a thought – generally beyond him – and which would give his canned attacks less grip. Trump also gave the game away by admitting that in a virtual debate, a moderator cut him off when he egregiously flouted the rules, which is what he does.
Biden would be well-off by holding a solo town hall style presentation, while noting that Trump, the sick and quarantined, is avoiding rhetorical combat that requires him to follow the rules, and which allow his opponent to fire back.
He suggests that instead of the virtual debate, he will simply hold another rally somewhere with his cult-member supporters, who apparently are still willing to crowd together without masks, to cheer his lies on. Also, since his doctors have signed NDAs (whether enforceable or not), we can never know an honest medical assessment as to whether they still consider him contagious or not. That’s private information! Not having the same skills as Bill Barr and Mike Pence (lying in a calm tone of voice, appearing to listen, able to hold still while flies alight, etc.) any debate format is beyond him. The 2016 debates were awful, I recall. Just that Hillary was a lightning rod to public enmity in a way that Biden isn’t.
This article in Salon confirms what I suspected about Trump: he enjoys hurting and/or killing people!
“Sociopathy”: Psychiatrist says Trump’s behavior “meets criteria for a locked psychiatric facility.”
It “would not be an exaggeration” to say that Trump “delights in putting people in danger,” Dr. Bandy X. Lee says
Link-
https://www.salon.com/2020/10/06/sociopathy-psychiatrist-says-trumps-behavior-meets-criteria-for-a-locked-psychiatric-facility/
Whoa!
Maybe the debate could go on without Trump, and while the moderator could ask Biden questions, we could ask Clint Eastwood to address Trump’s empty chair.
I saw this letter “Dying in a Leadership Vacuum” by the Editors of the New England Journal of Medicine this week made it onto the morning news today. They call on Americans to vote out of office the current administration based on the abysmal failure to lead during this pandemic.
“When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent. We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2029812