Well, the first presidential debate of the twenty twenty election just took place, and while what happened should have been no surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to politics for the past four years, it was still a complete national disgrace. I have never in my life time been more ashamed and embarrassed to be an American; not even during the Iraq war of the George W Bush presidency. Other countries must have looked on in wonder and fear. How could a country that claimed to be a beacon of democracy elect such a person? It was, to put it simply, the most disgraceful behavior that any president has ever displayed publicly. Or as commentator Dana Bash put it, it was a "shit show."
Yes, Donald Trump, behind in the polls, came out angry and fuming. Truly we saw who really was, a bullying, dishonest, egotistical psychopath. Determined not to let Joe Biden even finish a single thought, Trump interrupted his opponent one hundred and twenty eight times in ninety minutes! Host moderator Chris Wallace, continually tried to stop him and make him follow the agreed upon rules of the debate to no avail. It's been stated before but it bears repeating, Trump's behavior in the debates would get him disqualified from a high school debate. (It's really sad to think that many children may have watched this and thought that his behavior was acceptable.) When Biden snapped and told Trump to shut up, and also added that Trump was "the worst president ever", it seemed like a reasonable reaction. Bullies have to be confronted, and if Biden hadn't fought back, he never would have gotten a word in edgewise.
Amid Trump's usual cacophony of lies, boasts and insults, one chilling moment stood out: while making one of his standard rants about the danger of Intifa (a left wing anti fascist group with few members that Trump has inflated into domestic terrorists) Wallace challenged Trump to condemn violence coming from right wing groups. At first Trump grudgingly seemed to go along with the idea, but when Biden suggested specifically condemning the Proud Boys, an extremist right wing group with a history of violence, Trump instead blurted out “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by,” adding "Somebody’s got to do something about antifa and the left because this is not a right-wing problem. This is a left-wing problem.” Not since he claimed that a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville had "wonderful people" in it has our president made a more disgusting statement. And this may be worse since it carries the threat of potential violence.
Think I'm overreacting? Here's this morning's headline about it from the New York Times: "Trump wouldn’t categorically denounce white supremacists. Members of the far-right Proud Boys are celebrating". While it's open to debate, Trump's words could be seen as an endorsement of the violence of the Proud Boys. Even worse, by telling them to stand by, it raises the frightening spector of Trump calling on violent extremist groups to help him win the election through voter intimidation at the polls.or some kind of power grab after the election, which, he has repeatedly said, he will only lose if it's stolen from him.
The implications of all of this are staggering. I've already mentioned that I've never been more ashamed to be an American, I also have never been more afraid to be one. The upcoming election could be the first presidential election in our nation's history to result in violence. And some of that violence may be coming from our president himself, who could turn full fascist, claim that the election was rigged against him, use the military to cement his power and proclaim himself president for life while he's at. (These are all things he has hinted at and joked about doing in speeches).The fear I felt four years ago when Trump won has only intensified as the election nears. I hate to say it, but Trump may pull this country apart, or even start some kind of civil war. The world's most powerful democracy may be in serious trouble.
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