This Thursday is the first, and to my mind, the only, presidential debate that will occur before the November election. I say the only debate, because I cannot see both parties agreeing to do this again after this one is over. I believe The Donald will self-destruct in stellar fashion. But it must be noted that I have been wrong before. I thought we had seen the last of Trump many times now. The definitive moment for me was the mocking of the physically disabled reporter. That, I predicted, would be the last we would see of Donald Trump as a viable contender for the most prestigious political position in the world. I was wrong. Somehow, that act of utterly foolish and rude stupidity was not enough to spoil the ambitions of a seventy-something toddler. After misspelling the word, potato, ended the aspirations of another wishful candidate in the Republican Party a few years ago, this time around nothing has seemed to tarnish The Donald.
There have been others, but that crude act with that reporter was the end for me. I remain amazed at how other thinking adults have been unable to find a moment that was the end for them, as well. But here we are. We are faced with what is probably going to be the most watched political debate in history. CNN is broadcasting it live, but all the other networks are jumping in with simulcasts. They know that if they air something else, their audience is going to disappear. Advertisers don't like that very much.
In light of my failure(s) to predict the end for Trump and his Trumpism, why do I go out on a limb and predict "the end" for him and his MAGA crowd of lemmings? My answer is simply, Donald Trump. I don't see how he can survive this debate without self-destructing, for all to see. Now, I realize that his base will accept whatever he does and says, no matter how ridiculous, insulting, stupidly unaware, or blatantly in error it is. But it won't be just his base watching this time. This audience will contain thinking adults who vote.
Yes, I realize that I have called for "the end" before. Yes, I know that I now have a well-established record of failure in this prediction. I am sticking with it. Call me just a foolish optimist, if you wish.
The New Republic reports that Trump will attack Biden with migrant murderers. It's all Biden's fault "all these murders" are happening. Biden can counter these assertions with facts. The Wall Street Journal asks will the debate "jolt the race?" You're darned right it will.
Donald Trump will self-destruct. He won't be able to help himself. Joe Biden will prevail as victor. Donnie won't be able to resist making this all about himself, instead of any of the serious issues or about what he intends to do if elected. He will make it about himself because that is what he sees as the most important factor in all of life, not just for himself, but for all of humanity. This trait and the introduction of the mute button will conspire to irritate The Donald enough to push him into the self-destructive mode I see as inevitable. I don't know if it will be quite as spectacular as I imagine it could be. But the demise will come. I believe this debate will be that demise. Republicans had their chance to be rid of this menace. They blew it. Now it is up to us voters. But The Donald is reliably childish enough to assist us in this effort to be rid of him and his bombastic alternate reality. The mute button was a brilliant move. Thank you, thank you very much.
