David Frum: Trump Should Never Have Had This Platform

[FakeNoose]

The debate was a travesty—because its whole premise was to treat a failed coup leader as a legitimate candidate for the presidency.



The Atlantic link: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2024/06/debate-trump-platform-january-6/678818/

Archived (no paywall) link: https://archive.ph/f6FLw

The first question about January 6 was asked at minute 41. Donald Trump replied with a barrage of crazy lies, ending by seeming to blame Nancy Pelosi’s documentarian daughter.

Then, just to be fair, CNN moderator Jake Tapper followed up with a question to President Joe Biden. Did he really mean to imply that Trump’s voters were a danger to democracy?

Biden fumbled the answer, as he fumbled so many other answers. The octogenarian president delivered a fiasco of a performance on the Atlanta debate stage. But the fiasco was not his alone.

Everything about the event was designed to blur the choice before Americans. Both candidates—the serving president and the convicted felon—were addressed as “President.” The questions treated an attempted coup d’état as one issue out of many. The candidates were left to police or fail to police the truth of each other’s statements; it was nobody else’s business.

- more at link -

Please don't miss the conclusion of Frum's editorial ...
This most recent debate has taught the danger of spectatorship. The job of saving democracy from Trump will be done not by an old man on a gaudy stage, but by those who care that their democracy be saved. Biden’s evident frailties have aggravated that job and made it more difficult, but they have also clarified whose job it is. Not his. Yours.

Thank you David Frum!

[J_William_Ryan]

1. "Trump Should Never Have Had This Platform"

Spilled milk; barn doors.

[CrispyQ]

2. A most excellent commentary!!!

Thanks so much for posting!!