I think of all the times I have screwed up, interviews, opportunities, recitals, and swim meets. If my teachers or I had given up, where would I be--certainly not a mother, professional, friend, social activist, and writer. I have always been hard on myself but I persevered. I assume Biden has been his worst enemy also, since he is a competitive ambitious politician and leader. He gets up after a loss.
Biden had a bad night during the recent debate. Speech, voice, and body did not come together. He is human. Biden has had a speech disorder* since he was a child. I have tried to explain this countless times, but with no impact on people I know, in social media posts, and letters to the editor. (I was a practicing Speech Pathologist for 36 years.)
What Trump did last night would unnerve anyone, especially a stutterer. Trump yelled and badgered Biden with hurtful comments--"You are the criminal," for example. Biden froze in the unnatural situation, and his lack of response has caused some supporters to consider that he step down. After all Biden has accomplished, the inability to withstand Trump's gaslighting is the ultimate criteria for an incumbent President. It should be noted that Biden's mike was muted, so he could not rebut. The verbal abuse would never happen in the Oval Office where important decisions are made.
Biden had a cold; he's old, tired, and stressed. Who wouldn't be? Look at what the presidency has done to younger men? Some say, Biden has demonstrated aging problems for a long time? What are they exactly? If his staff has been hiding an ailment, we deserve to know now. And the most important concern, why is "old" one of the worst descriptions one can aim at a person?
Trump is always Trump because he is a liar who acts with impunity. Obviously, he lacks a conscience, which is far worse than a speech disorder and being an octogenarian. Though top donors, pundits, and journalists considered a replacement for Biden immediately. Nothing fazes Trump except for losing. In essence, he is an act. Trump is a master showman on television, but that should not be the most important qualification for President. Everyone knows Trump lies because we remember hearing what he now denies. A court just convicted him on 34 felony counts. He was the criminal on stage, awaiting sentencing.
I am not sure if I want to live in a country if Trump gets reelected. But I am also not thrilled about throwing away a man who has spent a lifetime serving our country due to a bad night and advanced age. Biden should/could have stepped out a year ago. Not now. There is no one who could take his place which, in part, highlights the unresolved racism and sexism in the United States; possible candidates are too Gay, Black, Hispanic, Jewish, Muslim, Asian, fat, skinny, a woman. A brokered convention will make the Democrats weaker and, in general, these situations do not have a good track record for the individual who gets the most votes, the main reason being that there is insufficient time to raise money.
I have learned that people blurt nonsense, for example, "there is no good choice," "there are no leaders," "I will rip up my ballot." I think Americans copy what they have heard. Think for yourself. If you think there are two "bad" candidates who are an "embarrassment,"--I read worse on social media-- look again. I think there is only one.
*Biden stutters. Stuttering or speech disfluency is characterized by sound, word repetitions; word substitutions; rapid rate; eyes closed and lips pressed together. It is speech specific anxiety which causes atypical motor behavior of the articulators.
©KarenLevi2024
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