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"I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE LIE like this guy," Donald Trump snorted in Thursday's speech. debate against President Joe Biden. “Everything he does is a lie.”
The accusation was comical. For ninety minutes, Trump let out one howl after another as Biden gaped at him in geriatric dismay. Biden attempted to refute some of his opponent's lies, but couldn't keep up. Who can?
So let's do what Biden couldn't do. Let's dig deeper into Trump's lies.
LATE IN THURSDAY NIGHT'S presidential debate, Joe Biden and Donald Trump traded barbs over a topic neither of them was likely prepared to discuss: golf.
Explaining why he believes he is “in very good health,” Trump said: “I just won two club championships, not even senior, two regular club championships. . . . He [Biden] it doesn't. He can't hit a ball fifty yards. He challenged me to a game of golf. He can't hit a ball fifty yards.
JOE BIDEN AND DONALD TRUMP debated. The United States was the loser.
From a substantive perspective, Biden did well. She often fell too easily into rehearsed details at the expense of clear themes, but when it was audible, it was passable.
Before tonight's debate, I wanted to write about policy, as I thought debate coverage focused too much on image and sensation, but neither candidate talked policy intelligently. This was the first presidential debate I watched where I was left thinking that neither candidate could have a deep debate on the important issues of today.
Donald Trump won the first presidential debate as soon as he took the stage. His victory was cemented a few minutes later when the moderators addressed him as "Mr. President." He didn't have to be there, and his presence was clear proof that our system is not only dysfunctional, but impotent when we need it most.
The guardrails — impeachment, the 25th Amendment, the courts — did not hold. They have proven to be a fairy tale we made up to make ourselves feel better. They will remain just that: a fantasy destined to implode, again and again.
By now, it has become a cliché in pro-democracy media circles to say about these elections that everyone needs... Focus on the stakes, not the odds. And clichés become clichés because they contain an inherent truth.
The stakes of this election are unlike any other in the modern era. One of the men on stage Thursday night is a convicted felon who vowed to avenge his political enemies and forgive the rioters who attacked our Capitol carrying his flag. If he is elected, within four years he may feel that he has to remain in power to avoid the consequences of his crimes, including the possibility of spending his golden years in prison.
Happy Friday! It's summer. The #HeatDome is gone, but it's still hot. We're approaching the 4th of July and I hope you have fun things planned.
🎵On the jukebox…🎵 Fast ball - The way
Let's start with some good news, from the AP: Supreme Court rejects Trump ally Steve Bannon's bid to delay prison sentence.
Kim Wehle called it... Check out his April article on today's SCOTUS ruling on obstruction and January 6.
Kacsmarykmania…. keep goingwith the Lone Star State's only judge pushing to see how quickly he can be removed. (Only a dozen or so have been removed, and eight actually convicted.) Andrew Fleischman observe, and I agree: “I have not read the opinion and have no comment on the merits, but I think we should do a better job of preventing federal plaintiffs from hand-picking their judges.”
Back in Cleveland… Happy retirement to a nerd's nerd. Toby Radloff, who recently retired from the VA. Unknown Comic Book Movie Fans I could remember it from American splendor. While there isn't a White Castle in Cleveland (they treated us badly and left!), I hope you make a trip to the closest one in Delaware, Ohio, to grab some Slyders.
You can't buy democracy at Wal-Mart... It's been a tough week. Friend of the Newsletter and Bulwark Navigator Holly Berkeley-Fletcher has this office.
The fossil versus the criminal… The great Matt Labash on last night's debate.
Would AI have generated better questions for the debate? I asked ChatGPT to give me 50 questions, imagining they were Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. What do you think? Join me in Substack Notes to rate how they did.
Questions about technical support? Email members@thebulwark.comDo you have any question? Reply to this message.
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Editorial photos provided by Getty Images. For full credits, see the article.
