By now, American President Joe Biden’s disappointing performance in the CNN debate is legendary. If he loses the election, it will be cited as the main reason for his fall. If he wins, it will be referred to as a victory, in spite of his debilitating debate performance. The rest of his campaign will be focused on recovery from that lapse, and on convincing the sceptical that he can lead America with agility over the next four years. It is likely to be a hard road ahead.
Donald Trump, former President and Republican candidate for the 2024 Presidential election, has been in the ascendancy since the debate in which Biden faltered on the way to the Republican convention. The assassination attempt at one of his rallies, put him front and centre in the news cycle, and his defiant stance clinched his leadership position not only in the Republican party but as an American and world leader.
Content-wise, Biden was solid in the debate, but his very pale face, his feeble gait, his throat that would not clear, and his powerless delivery, all reinforced a feeling that he just might not be up to the task of a second presidential term. His ruddy-faced campaign appearances afterwards have been unable to reverse lingering doubt so far.
Trump’s presentation in the debate, was full of lies, inaccuracies, and misinformation, but that has become acceptable in politics now. What mattered was that his face was flush, his voice was booming, he was assertive of his views, and without being too disrespectful, he was dismissive of Biden.
Trump claims that he wants to make a call for unity not just of the Republican Party but for unity in America at the convention. A divisive and polarising figure, it is left to be seen, if he can reposition himself to such an extent that he steals the unifying role from Joe Biden who brought middle America over to him in the last election.
By Monday Trump had chosen JD Vance, seemingly palatable, as his VP candidate. By Tuesday night, Trump’s main adversaries were part of the speaking support cast at the Republican Convention. Trump has taken over indomitable leadership of the still fractured Republican party, and the assassination attempt, a grazed ear, and the defiant fist above his head, with a bloody right cheek very visible have inspired more than Trump fanatics and MAGA zealots, to make Trump’s call for unity almost credible.
Both the Prime Minister of T&T and the leader of the Opposition here, have condemned the violent attack on Trump as we in Trinidad and Tobago cope with 14 murders over the last weekend, fear of violence everywhere, gangsterism and gang killings as a way of life, and, in spite of rhetoric, no sign of containment capacity anywhere in the law enforcement system nor in the power of the political directorate.
Here and there, the focus has been on security measures for high profile political figures. The Prime Minister has spoken of a potential coup plot being orchestrated by the SSA, where the former director has been fired, and the institution cleansed.
H Rap Brown, a radical activist in the 1960s, said that violence is as American as cherry pie. And political assassinations are not uncommon in America where guns are easily acquired, and crackpot gun purchasers are not screened- so Abraham Lincoln, John F Kennedy, Dr Martin Luther King, Ronald Regan and now, Donald Trump.
In Trinidad and Tobago, we have had a violent storming of Parliament, the execution of a former Attorney General and a prosecutorial attorney, gunshots directed at the Presidential car, and gang executions and assaults on citizens continue without consequence every day. Bar fights turn into murder, road rage can get you shot in the face, and violence in the home is commonplace. Violence here is the first response. Restraint is an exception rather than a rule.
The quest for power, money, spoils and identity with power has become an addictive drug. Hence political combat has become divisive, polarising, over-aggressive, a declaration of war against the enemy.
Politicians in many countries have taken their societies, to the brink of a 21st century style civil war mentality. We in Trinidad and Tobago, are not exempt.
Rhetoric does matter. Restraint has value, especially in an election season.