By DUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ
McALLEN, Texas |...It's easy in our hurry-up, throwaway society to write off anything and anyone, especially in national politics. Truman-Dewey in '48 ring a bell? Bill Clinton in '92? Classic comeback stories are easy to find.
A bad debate is not the end for President Joe Biden.
He may yet leave the 2024 race, but it won't be because of his politics or age or raspy voice or phlegm-filled lungs. He's 81 years old, but fighting like Hell to stay in the race against his hated rival, convicted felon Donald J. Trump of the noisy, racist MAGA crowd.
One day after his lackluster performance at the contest's first debate, Biden was back on the campaign trail in red North Carolina, telling everyone at his rally that the Fat Lady has yet to sing.
"Folks, I don't walk as easy as I used to. I don't speak as smoothly as I used to. I don't debate as well as I used to," Biden told the crowd. "But I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth, I know right from wrong, and I know how to do this job, I know how to get things done."
"And I know, like millions of Americans know: When you get knocked down, you get back up!" he concluded, with an upward thrust of his fist.
In newspapers and broadcast shows, the president was being written off right and left. The influential New York Times wants him out of the race, as does the Miami Herald and the Philadelphia Inquirer. This morning, it is The Atlanta Journal-Constitution joining the call. MSNBC's pro-Biden show "Morning Joe" called on him to leave the fight to someone younger.
It's not in the Biden family blood to simply concede, walk away like a politician unable, unwilling to fight.
Trump, meanwhile, moaned and groan as is his wont about not getting credit for "a great debate." If only!
A crap-tired America goes to the polls later this year, on November 5th, knowing exactly what it has in candidates this time around. Yes, the debate was cringe-worthy and a huge disappointment for Democrats. And Republicans had a right to be glad their legally-crippled 78-year-old horse managed to make it around the track without a major flub, although lies spat out of his mouth bit like farts after one too many avocado tacos.
Life went on the next morning, yet talk was cheap.
The nagging secondary problem for our once-proud land is that we have a literal mountain range of pundits spewing their angles and prognostications.
A robust Conversation is good, we say.
But it is still early in the game. The striking contrasts between both candidates remains and all it takes is a mini-stumble from the other side to reverse the tide, flip the tortilla or get everybody excited about the latest turn of events.
There is a good reason why the World Series, the NBA Finals and the NCAA College Football playoffs are not a one-game affair.
Joe Biden is still in it...
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