Well, if we learned one thing about Joe Biden on Thursday night it is he isn't the fumbling, mumbling, old codger republicans would have us believe he is and some of us have feared he has become. Indeed, Biden might be old, but he is still the consummate politician and despite the efforts Donald Trump's toadies in Congress he is still the President of the United States. After the speech both Sean Hannity and Trump himself predictably called President Biden a liar, but they no longer referred to him as, "senile," or, "a vegetable."
Hannity is paid to do such things. Trump was probably jealous that on Thursday he didn't dominate the news on any of the networks, or, thanks to his social network crashing, even the internet. In fact, the only time he was mentioned at all was on the not so fashionable tee shirt worn by Marjorie Taylor Greene. Biden might have eviscerated him from the podium, but he steadfastly refused to mention his name.
According to MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell Biden referred to his predecessor 13 times. Perhaps the most damning was when he drove home the brutal facts of the January 6th coup attempt. "The insurrectionists were not patriots," the President said. "My predecessor--and some of you here--seek to bury the truth about January 6. I will not. Here's the simple truth. You can't love your country only when you win."
When it came to abortion, the issue Trump wants to avoid at all costs, Biden said, "Clearly those bragging about overturning Roe v Wade have no clue about the power of women in America. If you the American people send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise I will restore Roe v Wade as the law of the land again." Six of the nine justices were in the front row at that point. One of the three missing was Clarence Thomas, which moved a late night host to say, "Finally we found something Clarence Thomas will recuse himself from."
Of course there were speech mishaps and a handful of gaffes. It was, after all, Joe Biden up there. The worst of which was when Biden spoke about the murder of Laken Riley. He mistakenly called her Lincoln Riley in response to Marjorie Taylor Greene's heckling. He quickly recovered though by segueing into the bipartisan border security bill stalled on orders by Donald Trump. When he began listing what the bill would fund, then said it was supported by the border patrol's union and the National Chamber of Commerce Greene screamed, "Liar!" and republicans booed. Biden responded, "Read the facts. I know you can read."
The exchange proved two things. First, unlike Donald Trump, Joe Biden can come back from a stumble then go off script coherently and with wit. Second, he might be a tad over optimistic. Even if Greene and her cohorts can read they would never come close to looking at anything which conflicts with their worldview, or the sadistic whims of Donald J. Trump.
Yes, the battle is now joined. And suddenly, instead of Joe Biden, it is Donald Trump who appears to be one struggling with cognitive issues. It's Trump not, Biden who seems on the verge of a complete mental collapse. And, for the moment at least, it is Biden, rather than Trump controlling the content of the news cycle.
Indeed, on Thursday night we finally saw the Joe Biden we've all been praying for--fiery, on point, and ready for a fight.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am no longer voting against Donald Trump. I am voting for Joe Biden.
3-9-24
I do believe Joe, being a few years older, is more vulnerable to health issues of all kinds going forward. As for Donald, I have been worried about his mental state all along, and he is carrying too much weight. I have to admit, am nervous about either being the election winner for different reasons. Still, its got to be Joe for me, even if a shadow government becomes necessary.
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