President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump met face to face for the first time in four years in the CNN presidential debate on June 27.
For Biden, it was a chance to get back on top or at least make the race competitive. For his supporters and everyone else who doesn’t want to see Trump back in the White House, it was an opportunity to gain confidence or at least hope in their candidate.
Instead, it was a complete embarrassment.
Before the first question was even asked, Biden made a gaffe. As moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash introduced the candidates, Biden started speaking muffled indiscernible words as he shuffled to the podium.
When the first question was asked, Biden voters across the country let an exasperated sigh of distress as they heard what his voice would sound like for the night: raspy and quiet. He wouldn’t just slur his words, take long pauses, and say the wrong thing. That was expected. No, he would also cough and clear his throat the whole time.
He had a cold. Sure, there’s nothing he could do about it. And sure, he’s old. But that doesn’t matter. When you’re trying to shake off the appearance of senility and fragility, sounding like he did is disastrous to your chances of winning over undecided voters and holding on to your own uneasy base.
Biden failed to regain some semblance of his dignity for the entire debate.
At one point, he tried to create a soundbite by turning around Trump’s words about soldiers who died in combat: “You’re the sucker. You’re the loser.” That sounds impactful in print. But on TV, he fumbled the delivery and sounded like he was trying too hard to either bait Trump or mimic his opponent’s combative style.
In one viral moment, Biden answered a question on abortion by randomly pivoting to immigration. On top of coming across as confused, this mistake focused attention on one of his weakest issues. He proved himself as incompetent as he is addled.
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After his abysmal performance, many Biden voters may be tempted to abandon their already reluctant support. If you’re in that group, you’re right to be upset by the choice before you. You’re right to want a more competent candidate. You’re right to be frustrated by the party politics and personalities which brought us here. But none of that matter will matter in November. What will matter is defeating Trump.
Should Biden be replaced on the Democratic ticket? Yes. But will he be? Doubtful.
If he’s not—if you look down at your ballot on election day and see his name—you need to sigh, hold your nose, and vote for him anyway.
The only alternative to a Biden victory—to the status quo—is a Trump win.
If Biden loses, Trump will be president. Independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can’t and won’t win. Neither will fellow independent Cornell West. Green Party nominee Jill Stein can’t and won’t win. Libertarian Party nominee Chase Oliver can’t and won’t win.
Voting for any candidate other than Joe Biden is a vote for Donald Trump. Not voting at all is a vote for Trump. And a vote for Trump is a vote to make the country worse.
If you have to, think of Biden as an empty husk of a man that serves as a stand-in for a “not Trump” vote.
No change is better than a turn for the worse. So in November, this columnist plans to support Biden. And you should too. He’s the better option, the lesser of two evils, or whatever phrase you need to use in order get you to cast that vote against Donald Trump.
Matthew Pellittieri is a 20-year-old history and political science junior from Ponchatoula.
