of Editorial Committeedescribed the entire debate as “90 minutes of agony” in his summary of the debate.
To be clear, this has as much, if not more, to do with Donald Trump’s massive lies and Biden’s stumbling and tweeting attempts to counter them. Alexandra Petri’s We both texted satirical summaries of the debate back and forth, struggling with how to balance talking about something that is ultimately a performance, even as it concerns who will ultimately run the country.
After all, host Dana Bash turned to the camera at the end of her recap and said, “Have you woken up in a cold sweat and wondered: How did we get to this? Why did we decide that live television was the best way to decide who should run our country? And… this “What about that performance?”
So, how? did Are you getting here?
Alexi McCammond She believes CNN neglected its duties by not fact-checking Trump, and she discussed the issue in her latest newsletter, “Prompt 2024.” Erik WempleBut the Times pointed out major obstacles to real-time verification, writing, “I don’t think we’re any closer to solving the puzzle of whether it’s OK for media workers to allow Mr. Trump on live television under any circumstances.”
But greater responsibility may lie with the Democrats, who allowed this to happen.
As Dana Milbank “The truth needed a standard-bearer on its stage,” Biden wrote in a column engulfed in Trump’s lies. It’s unfortunate that the whole country suddenly realized that “Biden was clearly not the right man for the job.”
Didn’t the people around you already know?
Karen Tumulty Wikipedia writes that there will now be “massive Democratic panic” among all party members, not just party insiders: “Long-held Democratic anxiety about Biden’s decision to run for a second term will come to the surface,” it predicted at 11:52 p.m. ET on Thursday, a prediction that was borne out by Twitter and cable news about seven nanoseconds later.
Cullen believes the “unrealistic” scenario of replacing Biden would create a catastrophic upset that would do more harm than good for the Democratic Party. This is not the consensus view at Post Opinion.
As George Will “Endorsing the sadly terrifying Biden rather than nominating a president who could potentially serve four more years would be the most reckless and cruel act ever by an American political party,” he wrote in a column (saying maybe this was the debate we deserved).
Ramesh Ponnuru She cautioned Democrats that sympathy for Biden “should not entirely replace anger,” because “the more we believe what he says, the more condemnable his incompetence becomes.”
So Trump is dangerous and a disgrace, and it’s selfish and unfair that this is his opponent’s biggest argument for reelection, while Biden is making it even more unlikely.
Returning to the columnist’s live chat, Jim Geraghty I thought the debate might be over. Too For Trump, the incumbent president is the easiest opponent he could defeat, and Jim believes that “after all, a rematch between Trump and Biden may not happen.”
Chaser: Anne Ternes This cartoon of the match captures the tragedy of substance failing to trump bravado.
Okay, now that the bad news is out of the way, I can give you the bad news.
That discussion was tough, but I know what cheers me up! I had a little chat with my good friend, Chevron Difference, and he’s in high spirits this morning, as always.
— Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) June 28, 2024
Sorry, Alex. Karen As I wrote in another column today, the Supreme Court’s conservative wing on Friday overturned Chevron, a 40-year-old precedent that gave agencies broad discretion in interpreting federal law. The word on the street is that this is the biggest judicial usurpation since the Supreme Court. Marbury v. Madison!
Cullen knows this all sounds technical, but “the impact of the Court’s 6-3 decision could affect far-reaching aspects of American life, from the cleanliness of our air and water to the safety of consumer products to how financial markets work.”
Expect Congress to struggle to write more detailed laws on subjects it has no expertise in (and federal judges probably have even less).
Cullen writes that we wouldn’t be in this mess if deference to Chevron hadn’t eroded Congressional expertise. “If there’s a silver lining to the Supreme Court’s ill-advised decision,” she says, it’s “the opportunity to reclaim the power the Founding Fathers intended to give Congress.”
- Kathleen Parker He writes that the fight over abortion drove Republican women out of the South Carolina Senate, and that what Republican men want, Republican men get.
- Jason Rezaian Low voter turnout explains why this is what the Iranian regime fears most about fake elections.
- Finally, a ray of hope Fareed ZakariaHe writes that even if America is losing confidence, the world still knows it well.
It’s goodbye. It’s a haiku. It’s… “goodbye.”
After last night’s humiliation
The real debate begins
Plus! A Fri-ku! from reader Leonora O.
Have a newsworthy haiku of your own? Please send by e-mailIf you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Have a great weekend!
