The Election Show: The Presidential Final Debate
What did we learn from last night’s debate?
The final presidential debate of 2020 was the last opportunity for President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden to present their case to the American public…or at least those who could stomach sitting through another ninety minutes of discussion, name calling, false truths, and a sprinkling of policy.
Joe Biden came out strong with declarative statements pertaining to the Coronavirus. As the president tried to distance himself from the “China virus” and present false equivalencies to the Swine Flu, the former vice president asked the American public if they felt the president deserved to continue his tenure after the way he has handled a virus that has killed over 220,000 Americans and counting. As he looked directly into the camera and asked the American public to think of how they felt with an empty seat at the kitchen table or an empty side of the bed, he was mocked by the president. The lack of Trump’s compassion was yet again palpable.
Biden consistently brought up teachers and front-line workers who are risking their lives each day for a virus that has yet to be contained by this president. Trump was on the defensive and could not answer why it is he told the American public the virus would disappear, why he told a journalist (Bob Woodward) that he knew the severity of the virus but decided not to be honest with the American public for fear they would panic. Biden was at his strongest by presenting his case at the top of the debate by blatantly stating that it was the president who panicked and not the American people.
The debate then veered into discussion about a vaccine, which the president insists will come before the end of the year. If you believe that, I have several bridges to sell you. When the debate moved into the actual cost of the shutdown, Biden landed a serious blow by stating that he wanted to shut down the virus and not the country. Indeed, millions of Americans do want to go back to work. They want the economy to return to pre-Covid levels and they want economic stability. However, the president’s repetition about opening schools and businesses and “the country” was void of detailed policy as to how that would happen.
Listening to the president talk about the ghost town that is New York City, the rise of suicides, alcoholism, and drug use, and not to mention the “illegal murderers” flooding our shores, one had to wonder who exactly was leading this great nation.
Millions of Americans have already gone to the polls and likely did not bother to tune in. Those who did watch this debate likely did so to further calcify their support for their selected candidate.
What we do know for certain is that both candidates have shown us who they are and how they view the American people. It is now time to decide whether we continue down this path or not.
-Christina Greer, PhD
Host, The Elections Show
Host, Dr. Christina Greer, with Matt McDermott and Dr. Lincoln Mitchell discuss the 2020 election including the candidates, issues and the latest news from the campaign trail. They also dive into the current political landscape and interpret the latest national polls.
Streams live on Facebook at 11am on Fridays. Broadcasts on MNN1 (Spectrum 34 & 1995, RCN 82, FiOS 33) or MNNHD (Spectrum 1993) Sundays at 7:30pm. Airs FSTV on Mondays at 7PM.
Dr. Greer is a Political Scientist; Assoc. Prof at @FordhamNYC; Author of Black Ethnics; Co-Host @FAQNYC; Politics Editor @TheGrio; Host of The Aftermath on http://Ozy.com
