| Photo by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons
Part XLVII of the “United States 2024 Elections” Series
This columnist posted this metaphor of an analysis six hours before yesterday’s presidential debate. It was posted in several Facebook Groups and Pages. The post said, “Tonight’s presidential debate reminds this writer of the Union Army’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania from July 1-3, 1863. It was a turning point in the American Civil War.
“Vice President Kamala Harris will succeed Tonight in delivering a message that a future government will be stronger and more caring because it is of the people, by the people, and for the people, as they do well in economic opportunities for all.
“And not the Trumpian version of a dictatorial government of cronies, by crony billionaires and for foreign cronies.
“Besides, her debate opponent will again dramatize the adage that ‘old dogs never learn new tricks’.”
Yes, Mr. Trump- at the age of almost eight decades- never learned a new lesson like telling the truth and not twisting facts. Yes, “old dogs, oops tomcats, never learn new tricks” (to use the favorite feline term of his running mate JD Vance).
Last night, Donald Trump, after behaving like a statesman for the first four minutes of the debate, turned angry and sarcastic. He continued for the rest of the debate with his usual habit of being a “congenital liar” (a term that Filipino journalists coined in the 1980s for then-Filipino despots of dictators). Several times, Mr. Trump never directly answered the moderators’ questions.
” … [V]oters hesitant to vote for Kamala Harris-Tim Walz and Democratic down-the-ballot slates must now reconsider, for she has shown her experience and temperament to be the POTUS better than former President Trump. Kamala Harris should be given a monumental mandate to lead the country.”
On the other hand, Kamala Harris looked presidential. To borrow a baseball term, Ms. Harris hit several home runs during the debate—yes, if not a grand slam—in explaining her vision for the United States of America of the future.
Readers who missed the live coverage of last night’s presidential debate should view reruns of it. They should view the 90-minute debate that showed Ms. Harris as absolutely presidential, capable, and with the right experience of more than three decades of public civil service. On the other hand, Mr. Trump behaved as really an old man who was unable even to add dressings to his word salads,
Finally, voters hesitant to vote for Kamala Harris-Tim Walz and Democratic down-the-ballot slates must now reconsider, for she has shown her experience and temperament to be the POTUS better than former President Trump. Kamala Harris should be given a monumental mandate to lead the country. The nation is the biggest melting pot in the world. Ergo, it has to avoid giving her a slim victory, especially in the toss-up states. Why? Donald Trump may claim again a fictional cheating of the 2024 presidential election.
And worse, perhaps motivate his MAGA cult to initiate a Second American Civil War. Americans must avoid repeats of civil-war battles like the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Remember, voters must prevent Mr. Trump from beginning blood baths, as he said in several public comments. The bonus to electing Kamala Harris is for Mr. Trump et al to comply with serving the coming jail sentences that may be imposed on them by judges or juries.
