It’s Biden’s Moment, and Trump Knows

I’m not a lover of Joe Biden. I always thought liberals were sellouts, not heroes. The definition of liberal that I learned in my coming-of-age years was someone who always said the right thing but then pulled back at the time of decision.

But when a crazed, mini-authoritarian boar is the only alternative, liberals look good.

Biden looked good last night in the first debate. He was decent. He was – I can’t believe this is a campaign issue – pro-voting.

He is more pro-family and pro-life than Trump, whether you define those terms from a right or a left perspective.

He spoke in complete sentences.

He soared over a low bar.

He had at least two missed moments:

1. When Trump touted his 200+ endorsements from military and law enforcement, Biden could have mentioned his nearly 500.
2. When Trump pointed to poor forest management as the cause of the California fires, Biden could have pointed out that 58 percent of California forests are federally owned and so Trump’s responsibility; only three percent are state-owned.

But those lapses didn’t hurt him. I think Biden is driven by the sense that history is calling him to this moment. Whether you believe it or not, Biden does, and it gives him energy.

Trump, meanwhile, is tired, ignorant, and standing naked and aware in front of an electorate that is embarrassed.

Ken Wachsberger is the author of You’ve Got the Time: How to Write and Publish That Book in You and editor of the four-volume Voices from the Underground Series.

Advertisement