Thursday's Presidential debate was hard to watch!

I thought I was watching a comedic skit by two residents of a geriatric home who were performing for their adult children, grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren who may have possibly been in the audience.

However, after pinching myself, I had to face the fact that I was watching the United States’ Presidential debate, which took place on Thursday evening. I wished it was a dream, although for much of the time it could have been classified as a nightmare. But that would have probably be

en better.

Why? Because what I witnessed on Thursday evening was a sad reality and something that was happening in real time. What happened on Thursday night was not a debate. It was not what one would have expected from seasoned, experienced politicians, who were there to try and convince the electorate that one of them was worthy to be the next president of the United States.

From where I sat, it appeared to be an argument between two fifth graders, complete with throwing jeers, personal attacks, crying foul and even raising their voices in classic two-year-old tantrum style.

I don’t know if some political pundits had spurred on this debate for one reason – to reveal what they have been trying to say for a long time – President Joe Biden is losing it. This debate seemed intentional to me, with the outcome fully expected. This debate never should have happened. It was hard to watch.

President Joe Biden should not have agreed to this debate. Whoever convinced him to go ahead with it did not have his best interest at heart. But from what I’ve heard, the President is a “stubborn” man, who goes after what he sets his heart too. But the intended role Biden was supposed to play seemed to backfire.

President Biden appeared to be in a trance, unsure of what to say and could barely get out a clear sentence for much of the debate. It was almost impossible to make out what he was trying to say. A few times during the debate, Biden appeared to be asleep, to be tuned out, unsure of where he was and incoherent.

This debate was supposed to have been an opportunity for Democrats to reassure their Caucus and the American people that President Biden was up to the task of taking on another term in office. They wanted to convince people that his age didn’t matter and that his mental missteps and mess ups were the exception and not the rule.

He failed terribly!

For those who may have been holding on to hope that Biden still have what it takes to run again despite his age, Thursday night’s debate changed their minds. Friday’s headlines in all major newspapers all screamed the same thing – Biden is not the one! He was no Nyo and Morpheus was disappointed. In fact, by Friday many people were suggesting that President Biden drop out of the presidential race now. It was that bad.

Former President Donald Trump looked like he did an exceptional job, simply because President Biden did a really terrible job. Trump didn’t win, but Biden lost. Biden made Trump look good. But let’s not deceive ourselves, Donald Trump was not impressive. He did not come across as as great Orator. He had his pitfalls as well.

Trump did not answer many of the questions put to him, choosing instead to skirt the issues, dodge the real answers and beat around the bush by lashing out at previous comments made by Biden. In typical Trump fashion, Donlad Trump played Bo-peep with the truth. Misrepresented facts for close to ninety minutes. Although Trump seemed to be the more composed of the two men, he had some missed opportunities to really present a stronger argument for why Americans should choose him as president, but he was too busy attacking President Biden, pumping up himself and stroking his own ego.

We still don’t know Trump’s position on Putin, on the war in Ukraine and Israel nor what he would do to help the poor or to deal with the high cost of living.

If the debate was strictly about speaking to the issues and to policies, President Biden would no doubt win the debate. But because Biden’s performance was so shocking and left women clutching their pearls and people with their mouths dropped, people never really heard what Biden had to say.

However, despite Trump’s missteps and dodging of direct questions, the news cycles on Friday morning focused on President Biden’s terrible performance. The Democratic caucus is in a tailspin now, trying to figure out what to do, how to bounce back from the debate disaster.

As I sat there watching the debate, one of the questions that came to my mind was “is this all they had to choose from?” I mean, America is filled with Millions and millions of people, thousands who are involved in politics and probably hundreds of people they could have chosen from for a presidential run.

Why has it come to this; a battle between an 81-year-old and 78-year-old men? Is this the best America has to offer? I know it’s not. I know that there are at least twenty other people in the political pool on both sides of the political fence they could have chosen from. But why are they pushing Biden and Trump?

What are young people supposed to think after watching that debate? How are they supposed to feel about the future? Why do politicians say they believe in young people, yet young people are never given a chance to lead? They are never given a chance to have their voices heard or to prove how much they know and what they can do.

Instead, American politics have pushed forward two old men and say this is who you must choose from to be your next president. Choose your poison. If this is the best they can do, then Americans need to really start thinking about the future.