I was wringing my hands during Thursday night’s debate.
Unlike his fiery State of the Union address in March, President Biden was off-kilter.
As a performer, he faltered, seemingly unable to keep up with the barrage of exchanges coming from former President Donald Trump.
It took political pundits the better part of the night to sift through the lobs.
It was only then some significance emerged.
Which doesn’t take away from the fact that Trump “won” the debate which in today’s world is decided less by substance than by style.
Trump’s is pugilistic. He punches and jabs, pounces and pummels to the point that all but the strongest submit.
Among Trump’s specious claims these stood out:
• Democratic states want abortions up until and after birth and;
• The 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade was universally embraced by “everybody, without exception.”
Both are mistruths.
No state has passed a law that allows infanticide.
And taking away federal protections for a woman’s right to choose is opposed by 60 percent of Americans.
Thanks to Trump’s appointments of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, 50 years of federal protections were dismantled.
Today’s young women have less say over their reproductive health decisions than their grandmothers. Trump has called the reversal “amazing.”
