It's Live on the HomePage Now: RSN: Bill Simpich | Joe Biden - It's Time for a Hard Look The last days before this election is a good time for everyone who swings from the left-hand side of the plate to take a hard look in the mirror. One person has to shoulder his share of the blame. Joe Biden. Everyone in the world knew that Trump was going to misbehave at the debate Tuesday night. Was Biden advised to stay cool? Apparently not. Trump out-interrupted him, but Biden couldn’t resist. The Washington Post score was 71 to 21. Trump, no statesman, knew how to bring Biden down to his level of insults: “It’s hard to get any word in with this clown.” “You were the worst president America’s ever had.” “Would you shut up, man?” Trump’s people knew Biden’s history as a stutterer. Their strategy was to bring Joe into the mud so he couldn’t be a statesman. I am convinced his advisers and the DNC told Joe to get in the mud with Trump. That’s really the only way they know how to fight. They were worried about his perceived manhood. They wanted him to look tough. I don’t think the Biden camp cared one bit about the debate rules. It’s ironic because Joe is generally a rule-follower. If they had, they would have made sure that the rules included turning off Trump’s microphone. One of my friends said that the biggest mistake was turning the microphones on. The Washington Post has reported that in previous years there was a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the candidates and the debate commission. There was no formal MOU this year. The best way to fight is with a clean punch. There’s nothing wrong with telling the President of the United States to “be quiet and wait your turn.” There’s nothing wrong with telling the alleged moderator to “do your job.” Say it over and over again, like you would with any seven-year-old. The idea is to impart good values. The challenge is to not be condescending. But people like Biden are simply too vain, too headstrong, too proud, to allow themselves to be treated like mere mortals. When they are insulted, they lose their head. At a time when we need a statesman, Biden did his part in destroying the tradition of presidential debates again. What happened last night doesn’t only make you ashamed to be an American. It makes you ashamed to be a human being. The problems with this world are a lot deeper than Trump. The people of this country are all too familiar with our proud, haughty nation that is being driven to its knees. That haughtiness didn’t come from nowhere. And it seeps right into our lives. All of us need to take responsibility for the way we point fingers at other people. All of us need to take responsibility for the decisions we make that affect others. All of us need to examine the way we treat each other – both in this country and around the world. Many of the voters who support Trump were union members and/or progressive-minded in the past. Their companies have left the country. Their unions are gone. Their jobs are gone. If we hope to build a new progressive American majority, these Trump supporters can’t be dismissed as racists and fascists. These people have to be offered a better path, not withering scorn. It’s very clear what they want: good-paying jobs and security for their families. New policies in energy production and health care can be a win-win for all Americans. Insulting Trump is worse than pointless. The whole world is watching this American election. Whether we like it or not, it’s a big deal. The outcome affects the lives and well-being of people all over the world. A second Trump term would be a disaster. The best thing Biden can do is to forget about his ego, keep looking into the camera, and speak very calmly to the man who has no basic decency and the moderator who is more interested in a food fight. If we have any interest in building a better world, it had better start with humility. Because all of us – the people who call themselves progressives and liberals and Democrats – have plenty to be humble about. Bill Simpich is an Oakland attorney who knows that it doesn’t have to be like this. He was part of the legal team chosen by Public Justice as Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2003 for winning a jury verdict of 4.4 million in Judi Bari’s lawsuit against the FBI and the Oakland police. Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News. |
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