OMG..... Given my age, I can recall a time when elections were a battle of ideas, proposals, philosophies, and policies. They featured grown-ups speaking about the issues of the day in a civil fashion. And, regardless of who "won" the debate - on style-points, substance, or via applause meter, the voting public could determine who stood where on issues and what to expect from the candidates if elected. It was a civil learning process for the public leading to an informed decision and the casting of meaningful votes on election day. These were the days of Nelson Rockefeller, Jack Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Ronald Regan, Dwight Eisenhower, and Bob Dole. Even Bill Clinton and George Bush in 1992 presented alternative policy positions that were understandable by the voting public - and that was just 20 years ago - one voting generation. Presidential Debate #2 was the total and polar opposite of those civil discussions.
Back in "the day", political debates ended with a partisan-based election and, some months later, the inauguration of a President and the swearing-in of Members of Congress and Senate. At that point in time, through politics continued on, government began. Civil discussion - OK, some became contentious - almost always resulted in some form of compromise or other in the end. Think the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, the agreement between Ronald Regan and Speaker Tip O'Neill to save Social Security or the Budget Agreement reached between George Bush I and the Democrats in Congress. It was, I believe, what the founders designed - "the art of compromise." All of these indicated that after the storm of the campaign, came the calm of the needs of government and the American people. And, that meant governing with civil discourse and most acts of Congress reflected the fine art of compromise. But, not today, not now, not here, and, certainly not against the Clintons - the lead "frustrators" of the Republican Party for 2 decades. Even worse for Donald Trump, this Clinton is a WOMAN! Now you know why "the Donald" snorts like an enraged bull during confrontational debates with Hillary - he IS enraged.
Political poison has been growing over the past 20 years and that has led to less and less cooperation and more and more gridlock. Add to that the rise of the Tea Party on the Republican side of the political equation and you get to where we are today - Mitch McConnell announcing that the Republican agenda at the start of the Obama Presidency was to "guarantee that he fails." After all, compromise as envisioned by the Founding Fathers, amounted to "political treason" to the Tea Party that insisted that compromise was surrendering principles to the "enemy." From impeachment, to government shut-down, to opposing every single proposal put forward by the Obama Administration, gridlock has become the new "normal", the needs of Americans be damned. The bomb throwers are now in charge - throwing gasoline on the smoldering hurt feelings of the losing side to produce a flame up followed by burning the house down. Enter Donald Trump.
Trump represents the final outcome of the Republican march away from a working government based on reason and compromise and to a model based on bombast, spin, and fact-free demagoguery led by a racist, xenophobic, narcissistic, misogynist. The crowds at Trump rallies have been large and filled with emotion, hate, vitriol, and, often, violence. It seems that there is no turning back, regardless of how Trump behaves, for the Trump "legion." And, what has unfolded in the Republican ranks, has been the surprise that Trump won the primaries; resignation that Trump was the party candidate; followed by tepid support/endorsements from party leaders and Republican elected officials. And, after last week's revelations of just some of Trump's outrageous statements about women before an appearance on Entertainment Tonight more than 10 years ago, the lid blew off and many Republican leaders jumped ship, including John McCain, Paul Ryan and dozens of others. They have now joined the ranks of the Bush Presidents, Mitt Romney, and other top luminaries of the Republican establishment in their distaste of and opposition to Trump. Like the Titanic, the Trump candidacy, and the Republican ship seems to be sinking fast. At this writing, Hillary leads Trump by 11-14 points in national polling - and growing.
In an effort to save the House from political disaster for the Rs, Speaker Paul Ryan all but abandoned the Trump candidacy along with a bunch of R Senators and House members who withdrew their endorsements of "the Donald." Newspapers, public policy magazines and other media outlets in record numbers - including some historically conservative outlets - have either endorsed Hillary - many making their first endorsement ever - or encouraged their readers to reject Trump. Long-time right-wing radio and TV personalities - Hugh Hewitt, Glen Beck and others have also publicly abandoned Trump in the last week - but without going so far as to endorse Hillary. Trump's response to all of this is to dig deeper into the campaign mud, ably assisted by Rudy Giuliani who seems to be oddly "off" recently, giving to speculation that he has developed some form of mental disorder. And, typical of Trump's performances in the past, the Donald has attacked Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders for "disloyalty." All of this, of course, sets up a post-election war within the ranks of the Grand Old Party - Trump loyalists on one side assisted by the likes of Roger Ailes, Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, Chris Christie and others, and the Party regulars like Paul Ryan, John McCain, Jeb Bush, John Kasich and a long list of principled, conservative activists. How the Republican Party survives this bloodbath remains to be seen. Back to the debate.
People my age may remember a TV show popular in the 60s - "The Addams Family." The lead characters, Gomez and Morticia, headed a family that lived in a run-down mansion. Among the strange characters was a very tall butler, Lurch, sort of a very tall, Frankenstein-like character. As I watched the 2nd Debate, I just could not get the "Lurch" image out of my mind. Trump literally stalked Hillary throughout the debate - pacing, snorting, interrupting, commenting, and interjecting inappropriate statements and ignoring the moderators questions altogether. As Hillary presented at her turn to speak, Trump stalked her and made sure that he was in the camera frame, lurking just behind Hillary like some mugger approaching his victim in the dark. This behavior is an old debate trick intended to unhinge the opponent by adding "pressure" to their response. If Trump could have breathed hot air onto her neck while she spoke, I am sure that he would have done so. He was ever present as she spoke and he followed the camera shots as the TV expert he is, staying on screen just as Lurch had done all those years ago. His image was intended to be menacing - and, I think that it was - mostly to voters viewing, as Hillary did not get rattled at all.
In the end, this 2nd debate is the most bizarre performance that I think that I have ever witnessed over 30 years of political involvement. I have seen and heard a great deal since my first presidential race in 1976 (Jimmy Carter) - 40 years ago. By 1988 I was a member of the DNC and remained engaged in that capacity until 2001 when I retired from politics and government. And, never through those tumultuous times, did I witness anything so distressful and distasteful as that "debate." By not being nasty, not displaying disrespect, not getting rattled, and remaining "presidential", I do believe that Hillary "won" in the eyes of the public. Though Donald's troops were no doubt energized by his attacks on Hillary, he seemed to bully, intimidate, and exude disrespect. And, his threat to appoint a Special Prosecutor to "lock her up" should he be elected, topped it all off - an outright threat to jail his political opponent, something that only happens in far away places with few rules, more guns, and less restraint. Hopefully, we are not about to enter the days of the "warlord" in the United States where the biggest and baddest bully rules the roost.... or the person with star power can just kiss anyone passing by and "grab their P****y", to quote the Donald. If that happens, please pass the bananas.......
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