Grumpy Old Men

There was a presidential debate last night between two old white men and the two old white men lost. Sleepy Joe and Comic Con Trump really blew it. Neither one of them did their campaigns any good by agreeing to do this. They made things worse for themselves by getting personal and insulting each others’ golf game. One yelled at a cloud and the other wanted to shoot the cloud. All Biden had to do last night was reassure the country that he’s not too old to go another 4 years then bring up the fact that Trump is a convicted felon (it took Biden 45 minutes to get to that), he incited an insurrection, and reversed Roe v Wade. He didn’t do that. He gave the Trump campaign exactly what they wanted and needed — Sleepy Old Joe. Biden has to fight the caricature of himself that Trump and the right have created and he didn’t help himself by agreeing to debate with a cold.

Everything could have been saved up front if Biden had opened by apologizing for his voice and explaining that he had a cold then immediately hit Trump with being a convicted felon (it took Biden 45 minutes to get to that), inciting an insurrection, and reversing Roe v Wade.

Trump surprised everybody by being well prepared and in control of himself at first, but the guy can only color within the lines for so long before he throws a tantrum and he did. One long tantrum that didn’t end until the debate ended. Neither one of them made any sense but only one of them was lying.

They called each other the worst president in history.

CNN hosted the Grumpy Old Man debate. There was no audience, no fact checking, and no White House press pool. CNN gifted Trump with the legitimacy that comes with a prime time debate hosted by a major news outlet. Giving a convicted felon such a platform was wrong and CNN knows it. Trump is not a normal or legitimate candidate.

The Trump campaign has been very successful at portraying Joe Biden as a grumpy old man, too old to be president. The Trump campaign has been just as successful portraying 78 year old obese Trump, who is a mere 3 years younger than Biden, as having super human powers. His image of himself on the trading cards he sells are of Trump as Adonis — shirt off, muscles bulging, blonde hair blowing in the wind. The presidency usually ages the man but not Trump. The stress of the job had no impact on him because he didn’t do the job. He golfed his way through his presidency.

“The president is an avatar for the American people. The American people have a high opinion of themselves. This country invented the super hero for a reason. American people think they’re Captain America. They think we’re strong and robust and they want the president to look that way. Americans want the president to represent them in the world in a certain way that has vigor and strength.” — Joy Reid on Comic Con Don.

Republicans say Biden is too old, but Mitch McConnell is not. Mitch is one year older than Biden and strokes out on TV.

Grumpy old man fun fact #1: Mitch McConnell is one year older than Mick Jagger.

Grumpy old man fun fact #2: The “old guy” was old when he won in 2016 with the highest voter turnout out in history.

Grumpy old man fun fact #3: Joe Biden was the youngest senator elected and the oldest president.

So Joe blew it. He missed a great opportunity to hammer home that the Republican candidate for president is a convicted felon who incited an insurrection and overturned Roe v Wade. Oh well. John Fetterman bombed one of his debates because he was recovering from a stroke. He still won. Barack Obama bombed a debate with Mitt Romney and he still won.

Trump belongs in jail, not a debate stage. Biden may have bombed but Trump bombed, too. He avoided answering any questions and lied the whole time.

Democrats are doing what they always do when their boat springs a leak — freak out. The Biden campaign is panicking. Talking heads are exploding. Liberals are projecting and seeing themselves drowning after going down with the ship of democracy. It’s all over. We’re all gonna die.

Chill out, libs. This was just one debate. One sham debate.

Governor Gavin Newsom, aka Captain California, has some good advice for his fellow libs. He says the panic is unhelpful to the fate of the country, democracy and the world so don’t panic. The freak out is unnecessary so don’t do it. Worry less, do more. Democrats need to have his back. Don’t push him overboard because of one bad performance. The Democratic Party and voters need to chill the fuck out.

Time to right the ship.

Vote for the grumpy old many with the cold.