𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟎 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

 

Previously I had generously offered both candidates some tips going into the debate. Some — mirabile dictu! — were put to use last night. Read here. 

I'm gonna riff on this, since parsing things to the bones from what was said would take probably a PhD dissertation to complete.

So, here goes.

On TRUTH ...

A wise man once told me, "Anything you say, someone can prove you wrong. So, now that you know I'm wrong[ski], we have nothing to disagree about". Ha-ha. 

But, it does seem that the truth is not something that was on the agenda last night. Heck, when you live in a bubble where truth is what I can convince you it is, then theatrics and crafty wording is the name of the game.

Kamala scored big in that category.

And, there's the matter of how framing works. A closed fist in one frame is menacing and dangerous. In another, it's a defense of justice. Maybe, just someone who caught a bug. Get it? How you frame it makes all the difference.

Boo, Kamala for taking the point of view that would give the worst interpretation. And, let's not even get how quoting out of context is a very often used big gambit. Look up "bloodbath". That's to my eye an aspect of how the Dems consider themselves — maybe just portray themselves via narrative spin? — as being on God's righteous side; so much so that anything goes to win the day, including bending the rules. Witness how the "process" unfolded dumping Joe and crowning Kamala. And, again, let's not get into how leaving out some important context is such an old, but still effective spin. Like "good people on both sides". Or, [how come she missed this zinger] injecting people with bleach as a cure for Covid. Or, Trump remarking that that "War Criminal-Mass Murderer-Butcher" Putin is smart. Making that last thing like a compliment to a bad guy. How could you Donald!?

Donny took one on the racist label about his talking about how she was now Black. He tried to make it clear, but didn't. His point, as I take it, was that she's whatever she needs to be to get your vote. Why not just say it. You did say that Joe is the worst, and she is too. You're not known to pull punches.

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. But, get the label of terrorist to stick on a freedom fighter [Hamas?], and you command the narrative from then on. How many times has the idea of Hamas as terrorist organization been drilled into the Western world public's mind? Never mind the gross injustices and indignities, not to mention the brutal cruelties inflicted upon the Palestinians over the entire history of the establishment of the Zionist state of Israel ... how that has left that population with no recourse other than brute force resistance and retaliation. Yet, they're "terrorists". So, not nice. Bad people. The label discredits them from the get go. Then, of course, how the leadership of Israel considers the Palestinians to be sub-human. Vermin? 

Neither candidate really got into the weeds on that issue. Call it what you will, let's not quibble. Thousands are being slaughtered and maimed as we speak. It is arguably the defining moral imperative of our time. But, Israel has a right to defend itself. What about Palestinian rights? Oh, sub-human. Never mind.

Bravo Trump for wanting war(s) to end. And, indicating he'll get on that right away. How? Would be nice to hear more on that. But, in realpolitik, it's all about sitting at the table and hashing it out. Trump is THE guy for that. Harris, same old, same old. Keep sending stuff for them to defend themselves. But, boo-hoo, the suffering is a concern. Like the parent whose child is a gambling addict; lamenting the situation, but still funding the jones.

Kamala! A two state solution? Let's get real. Bibi don't want that. Hell, don't even want any Palestinians period. Hitler had a final solution. Seems Netanyahu do too. Does anyone see the irony there? And we know what Bibi wants, Bibi gets. Damn, Yankee? He was educated in the US of A; so maybe that's where he met the devil? And, of course, being assured that he's the one to hand things over to Mashiak. God is on his side. Or, so he wants us to think.

Kamala Harris, Oscar winning performance. She started off asserting that we were going to be hearing a lot of lies from The Donald. The frame. The clincher was how in every non-mike moment her face and gestures at everything Trump said were a thespians best method acting performance of someone hearing bold faced lies. Bravo! Job well done. Interesting how they didn't have open mikes, but did have open lenses. Sneaky distinction. Harris took advantage. Trump, kept his poker face, mostly. But, then he showed his tell; getting hot under the collar. Donald!

Okay, so me saying that she reacted to everything Trump said as if they were lies. Not everything. So sue me. Call me a liar. C'mon. But enough and so consistently often that way to make it seem like she was taking everything he said as false. And, bravo again at all the variations. Would someone make a video edit of just her reactions to his speaking? Master class.

Donald, I told you not to react to her putting you on the defensive. Granted, she dished everything ... everything. Major trolling. Anyone would need a month of Sundays to clarify on all that. She dumped on you big time.

And then you had to do the migrants eating cats and dogs thing. What the F were you thinking?

Donald, darling, you have to learn to be specific in your rebuttals. Just asserting that the election was stolen isn't cutting it. You did attempt to clarify that the cases you brought on that point after the 2020 election were deemed without grounds. If you have grounds, then specify. But, you got your hat handed to you then, and they're still reminding everyone that your cases "failed" in court. 

Is it me, or does anyone recall Nancy Pelosi's performance behind President Trump's State of the Union address where she had the brass balls to tear up the transcript of his speech? Classic playbook body language stagecraft. Gotta hand it to the Dems, past masters. With Harris, the cornucopia of withering and disbelieving facial expressions was Emmy worthy.

Donald, good zinger and point well made: Let's wake up Joe at 4pm, and close the border; don't need no legislation to do that. Why didn't you explain why you were not in favor of the Immigration Bill? But, it was brilliant how you shooshed her with her own "I'm speaking now" schtick. And, sticking it to her, that he was on to her schtick.

Kamala had the line of the night on Donald's supposed nixing the Border Security Bill saying you prefer to run on a problem rather than fixing a problem. Low blow, Girl. Like he's so vaingloriously self-interested he'd scuttle doing good to keep the immigaration ball in play as a football election issue. I bet he has his reasons. Donald, what say you?

That last bit is like so many accusations on being against bills. Which, if you haven't noticed typically and reliably are larded with items which for some make said bill untenable. But, pols keep you focused only on the bill title, not the particulars. Never mind that the proposed legislation was umpteen pages long and went for a vote almost as soon as it was put into print. With some arguably objectionable bits to boot.

And, moments after the debate little miss Taylor Swift endorses Kamala. With a statement which might as well have been written by Kamala's campaign staff. When a pol says, "I trust the American people" keep in mind that Taylor Swift to a lot of those people is their voice. Trust Taylor. After all, she looks pretty, and sings nice. So, it's whatever she says. And, she's done the research. How much, and how's the quality of it ... not specified. Leaves it to your imagination. And confirmation bias.

But, that's me. How about you?