After watching almost an hour and a half of Thursday night's televised Presidential debate, the overwhelming feeling I experienced was one of sadness. I cannot imagine that, after watching that, any still undecided American voter could make a choice to vote for either candidate. More likely I feel that an undecided voter would simply choose to not vote for either candidate.
It’s true that this second debate was much more civil with less talking over one another and less name calling, but did anyone really learn anything about either man that would make them seem fit to be placed in charge of handling the affairs of this country?
Truthfully I think Joe Biden acted more Presidential, but then, he’s been in politics his entire life so that is engrained. He came closer to answering the questions asked by the moderator even though the answers were all talking points with no detail as to how his policies would work. But then he probably doesn’t know any of the details. These are just the things he was told to say by his handlers after being locked away for a week and cramming for this appearance. And he still gave no denials as to the authenticity of his son’s laptop and the emails and photos it contains. Calling the whole thing Russian interference is not a denial.
But then President Trump didn’t do any better at listing his administration's accomplishments and saying what he would like to do if re-elected. He missed a golden opportunity in front of the entire nation with all the news media covering it to stand there and calmly talk about and list all of the things his administration has done to make the country better and improve all our lives. But he can’t do it. His ego gets in the way. He can’t talk for more than 30 seconds without getting off track and attacking his opponent. And I do understand that even if his personality was not like this before, being continually attacked, belittled, and sometimes ignored for three and a half years — and even before he announced he was running for office — for everything he says and does, by the entire Democratic Party, the intelligence community (FBI, CIA), 99 percent of the news media, and even members of his own Republican Party, could make anyone defensive and want to attack the attackers. But by missing this opportunity, there is still a large percentage of the American population that is unaware of most of the good his administration has accomplished, because the mainstream news media has never talked about or given him any credit for it.
Actually, I sometimes think it would be better if someone other than the candidates themselves would handle the debates for them. Explaining all of their positions and accomplishments in simple language and in detail to give the American people a clear choice. For example, maybe Trump Jr. and Hunter could debate, each saying what his father has done and would do for the betterment of the country. Trump Jr. could talk about all of the accomplishments of his father’s first term and what they want to do in a second, and Hunter could talk about how easy it was for he and his father to sell out America to foreign nations for millions of dollars when they have the entire intelligence community and news media in their back pocket. Or maybe he could talk about the difference in the quality and street price of cocaine between New York and Ukraine.
But when you really think about it, the actually Presidential candidates don’t really matter. We shouldn’t be voting for a candidate based on the way they look or their personality or how old or young they are. We should be voting for a Party’s policies and which one would be better for America.
So if you compare The Democratic Party platform and the Republican Party platform and want to keep the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution, and keep our free enterprise system where anyone determined and willing to work hard can acquire property and wealth, and if you truly believe that this is still the best and strongest country in the world and want to keep it that way, your only choice is to vote Republican. And I truly believe that most Americans do cherish these things.
David Hope
Hixson