Normally, this is where I ask you to support my newsletter. Today, I’m asking you to donate to the Biden campaign or ActBlue. I don’t care how much. $100. $50. $10. 2 goddamn dollars. Donate something. Donald Trump is a lying piece of shit and cannot be allowed back into power ever again.
Ben Cohen of The Banter and I had a great idea. We would, for the first time, do a live podcast while watching the debate. After working out some technical issues, we started streaming and I started cursing. We made it almost a full hour before we were unceremoniously tossed off of Youtube for copyright issues. Apparently, you are not allowed to stream CNN and comment on it. Whatever.
Still, we watched most of the debate and it was appalling. I kept wondering why Donald Trump would agree to a debate. He doesn’t know anything and everything he says is a lie. This is not usually a good mix with a moderator calling you out. It’s why he avoided the Republican primary debates. But now we all know why Trump showed up instead of using one of the many excuses he had ready: CNN was very much in the tank for him and he knew it.
Jake Tapper and Dana Bash did not call out a single lie Trump told. And they were ALL lies. Literally, the only thing he said all night that was true was that Hunter Biden was also a convicted felon. Which, you know, cool story brah. Hunter isn’t running for office and has never been in office. So who fucking cares, you 34x convicted felon?
Trump lied about the half a million Americans he murdered through Covid inaction. He blamed it on Biden.
Trump lied about the disaster he left in Afghanistan. He blamed it on Biden.
Trump lied about the mess he created at the border. He blamed it on Biden.
He lied about giving sloppy hand jobs to Nazis.
He lied about fellating Putin.
He lied about calling fallen troops “suckers” and “losers.”
He lied about the shitty economy he had and the even worse collapse he left behind. He blamed all that on Biden.
He lied and lied and lied. Every sentence out of his repulsive mouth was a lie and neither Tapper nor Bash raised a single objection. They knew he was lying and they didn’t hesitate to move on. They treated every disgusting lie exactly the same as they treated Biden’s truths. The most perfect example of bothsiderism ever to be put on TV.
“We’re not here to say who is telling the truth or who is lying. We’re just here to ask questions” is not the role of journalists. That’s the role of people deliberately enabling a fascist monster because he’s good for business.
Naturally, the press went right to work hyperventilating over how old and slow Joe Biden appeared on the stage. Did they talk about whether or not anything he said was true and accurate? Did they discuss his policy ideas? No. They focused on his appearance and the fact that he did land enough zingers.
Meanwhile, Trump kept avoiding questions and going on tangents. He fixated on personal grievances and didn’t speak truthfully about a single thing the entire night. That got some mention, but not nearly as much as Joe Biden’s age. Because what’s a few hundred lies when Joe Biden stutters and speaks softly, amirite?
The press has renewed its demands for Biden to drop out of the race. A demand they have yet to make of Trump, even after he was convicted of 34 felonies.
Worse, people are all over social media screaming for anyone to replace him except Kamala Harris, which tells you a lot about the person making the demand.
Yeah. Stop telling on yourselves, people.
Look, last night was not fun. Trump was allowed to spew bullshit all night long and get away with it. Biden didn’t punch back nearly enough because he was too busy focusing on real issues and didn’t have time to do CNN’s job as well as his own.
On the plus side, Trump was so over-the-top crazy, he took what should have been an easy win and turned it into a draw. Sure, Biden was off his game but Trump left a bad taste in the mouth of a lot of people watching:
For my part, this debate motivated me to do something I’ve been meaning to do but have been too preoccupied with other stuff to actually take care of.
The only reason that’s not a monthly donation is because I don’t like having money yoinked out of my account at the same time every month. We’re not exactly rolling in mountains of cash and not being able to pay a bill because $100 was pulled out at the wrong time is an unpleasant experience. But I will be donating every month from now until the election and I urge you to do the same.
Will I be donating $100 every month? Doubtful. But even $50 or $20 is something and if that’s what it takes to keep that orange fucking turd from poisoning this country for the next 50 years with his fascist bullshit, I’ll skip a couple of nights of takeout or going to the movies. Trump. Cannot. Be. Allowed. To. Win.
There are 129 days until the 2024 election. Vote and donate blue like your life depends on it. Click that “Fuck Donald Trump” button and donate to Joe Biden!
I’m copying something I posted elsewhere last night. When I had a full head of steam and zero fucks about observing niceties.
“Here’s a thought. Instead of acting like fucking titty babies and whining about “hoarse voice” and “low energy” and just generally buying into and aiding and abetting the fascist narrative, how about focusing on the substance and fighting to subvert the superficial analysis?
The substance is, President Biden answered the questions. Trump did not. President Biden has a recent and good record of serving the nation. Trump does not. President Biden tells the truth. Trump does not. President Biden understands the as yet unfulfilled promise of this country and cares about the people in it. Trump does not.
It’s about vision for the future. Hope. Or hellscape.
Or do we only subvert the dominant paradigm when it’s easy?
Heads up! Chins up! Push back! Fight! Don’t make me disappointed! You won’t like me when I’m disappointed!”
Appreciate that you showed Olbermann‘s comment - he was on fire during the post-debate show about how Tapper and Bash completely punted on this shitshow.