Wednesday, September 30th, 2020
Editor’s Note – A Question I Would Like You to Answer
Author: Stephan A. Schwartz
Source: Schwartzreport
Publication Date: 30 September 2020
Link: Editor’s Note – A Question I Would Like You to Answer
Source: Schwartzreport
Publication Date: 30 September 2020
Link: Editor’s Note – A Question I Would Like You to Answer
Stephan: I would be very interested in learning the reactions of my readers to the debate last night. Please post your take on what you experienced.
Trump was Trump. He’s been this way for 4 years. And yet whenever he opens his mouth we are continually astonished, horrified and indignant. We need to Get Over This constant shock and anger. We should be focusing on how well Biden held his own.
Joe Biden did well no matter what Trump did. He got a little angry a couple of times and called him a clown and told him to shut up.But compared to what he put up with,and Chris Wallace put up with, he was on point. When Trump interrupted him sometimes Biden seemed to l ou se a train of thought but recovered well and finished his thought and made his point. He was the little boy with a stutter who didnt stutter and beat the bully by getting his points across. He was good.
It maybe an unhappy choice but there it is. Dont focus in how awful D.J. Trump is, of course he is,!! Send good energy to the Bidens, to Joe himself and Sen Harris. Prayers, good thoughts, white light for protection around them and strengthening their auras and clarity and light for their kinds and speaking abilities. Keep the energy focus on them not Trump, even negative energy to zTrump.
He was his usual incoherent, incompent, lying, bully self completely focused on setting the stage for election violence and laying the groundwork for staying in office. Forever. Watching him follow the path that other now dictators have followed to power while the Republicans all fall in line and the white supremists raise their weapons in support is horrifying. Hopefully those trying to save our country will manage to overcome he and his cultists.
I chose not to watch it, as anything from the cheeto Mussolini’s mouth is a lie. I don’t need to have my blood pressure go through the roof.
Also, the Dumocrats have been a disappointment for a long time. I only hope Uncle Joe will prevail and there will be regime change in November.
We have to put them in sound proof booths and turn their mics off when their time is up – otherwise it’s an unintelligible garble.
Our reality tv show president needs a game show debate in order to be controlled.
Maybe we could pipe in some laughing gas……too much….but funny to think about.
Trump was predictable. But if you accept the premise of physics that nothing exists in isolation, then the saddest element of the Trump debacle is that he is just a reflection of the mind-set of a substantial percentage of Americans. And these people are not necessarily “deplorables.” Trump is the trigger that allows these people to voice their darker side, to feel that someone is listening. And the collective energy of these darker manifestations is growing exponentially and this energy has to be released, probably violently.
Thus it is absolutely IMPERATIVE that those who see this train wreck coming devote time each day to cultivating inner silence through meditation or prayer. Creating this inner foundation will be the only respite during the tumultuous period of the next few months. Believe it or not, we are still in the calm before the storm.
A wise observation. I find myself so disturbed at what I increasingly perceive as the possible end of democracy in America, freely cheered on by so many authoritarian americans, and the end of so very much that is good and beautiful that I cannot sleep.
Thank tou.
I had to stop listening after a difficult and stressful hour, resigning myself to wait for the analysis, hoping that commentators could sort it out better than I could. It was very helpful to read Heather Cox Richardson’s report, and to see online how widely people were distressed by Trump’s behavior. The next thing to watch for is ‘who won?’ polling followed by national polls when they appear. It seems possible that we could finally see some change, away from Trump.
It was a food fight. The loser: truth. I think the only serious mind changing that happened is more people now understand why the two-party system is dead. I think most of us would like to see some serious alternatives. To that end, because Trump is a DC outsider he has done serious damage to the deep state — something that is necessary before we really can move away from a corrupt 2-party (that is really one party) system.
Thank you for asking for feedback about the first “debate”, which was not a debate by any means, of course.
I lasted 29 minutes of this circus and had enough.
I have an idea: let’s do the next by Zoom. The moderator shuts Trump’s audio off at 2 minutes and he has no audio until Biden answers his question. We just watch him muted, lips flapping, hands pumping lies like a cheap accordion. Then each gets 1 minute of audio while the other waits, muted, no audio. Biden will be fine. Trump would disintegrate.
He follows no rules. If we don’t create an actual barrier to stop this barking imbecile, then what is the actual point? I am not watching another minute and I hope Biden refuses to participate in another sham like this.
I truly hope there are no more debates. If you can call this a “debate“. It was just 45 being 45, nothing new, no ideas, no policy, no discussion just talk over, interrupt, distract, lie. So why listen to this again??
Joe Biden’s strongest performance element was when he ignored the bombast, looked into the camera, and spoke directly to the TV audience….with intensity and evoking action on the part of me and my fellow citizens. Trump never spoke to us. We watched The Comey Rule part 2 just after the debate; a full evening of Trump exposure. Trump’s behavior in the debate and Brendan Gleeson’s performance in the Showtime piece were congruent and consistent; authentically conveying his disdain and contempt for the people of the USA.
I turned it off after 10 minutes. Trump reminded me of all the jerks I hated in high school. Biden tried to be civil but Trump wouldn’t give him a chance.
I must agree with Phil is his accusation that the two party system is “DEAD”. We have one middle of the road system of the oligarchy which Eisenhauer warned us about which came after the Reagan coup which established it’s domain over us and has held on to it by the force of the Military-Industrial-Banking Complex which is headed by the rich and powerful oligarchs. They are all the same and we can barely differentiate between them now. The debate was a joke, and the buffoon Trump kept his foot in his mouth the entire time. Back when I was a kid in high school a guy who talked big and shoved everyone around like Trump does would have gotten a punch in the face, or worse from me if he acted that way toward me. I was never afraid of fighting or dying for what was right and learned martial arts as soon as I could to defend myself.
I’m a Canadian but I worry for the United States! Fortunately you have an election coming up and voting rights gain demonstrated urgency. Best of luck!
We saw Trump’s psychopathy on full display. He behaved like a desperate cornered animal and employed the strategy that his erstwhile friend and adviser described as “filling the zone with sh#t.” In doing so, he diminished everyone on stage with him in ways large and small. He denuded Chris Wallace who failed to take charge restore reasonable order and shouted over Biden effectively obscuring the message he was trying to deliver. If another debate follows it must be tightly controlled with audio cut after a predetermined time on each topic. He cannot be given another platform to bully and incite violence. Biden showed himself to be a good and decent man. Wise and well prepared who can and did connect with the viewers and all Americans he is aspiring to represent. I hope an overwhelming majority of Americans choose decency, positive policies and unity over hate, division, vitriol and corruption. Bless us all.
Rose speaks for me. The only mistakes we can make now are 1) not voting, or 2) making some equivalency between T***p’s predatory assaults and Biden’s sometimes nasty efforts to get the bully off his back. I have seen that error too many times — the school principal equating the bully’s punch in the face to a victim and the victim’s self-defense kick to the bully’s shins. This night was a shameful travesty. I listened to BBC afterwards. Embarrassing. But embarrassment is not the point. A dangerous predator whose only direct message was to the white supremacists now celebrating his performance — this was confirmation of the dangers T***p poses, not just if he his re-elected, but Now.
Stephan, Thanks for giving us the opportunity to respond.
My take on the debate (shouting match?), it was more akin to a chaotic verbal brawl than a civilized conversation … very much a mirror of the current state of political discourse. Both participants said more with facial expressions. I could barely hear what was said. Biden resorted to name calling. Trump spoke over Biden more often than Biden did to him. The moderator came across as nicer to Biden than Trump. Not much policy content revealed. Biden lied about his corrupt son Hunter and his facilitating him. Trump dodged questions about his taxes. Who won? Neither. Who lost? Everyone who watched. I hope the next debate real content. And maybe turn off the microphone of the other during responses to questions? Tom N
For the most part, I think Joe’s body language and tone was too passive. He came to a gun fight carrying a knife. We’re talking about a president whose main platform is the disruption and dismantling of our electoral process. This is serious stuff! Biden doesn’t have to call him names, but at least confront Trump directly every time he interrupts. Unfortunately, civility is too often equated with weakness.
Trump showed the world just how deeply he walks in the mud of his mental sickness of narcissism. Our governmental leaders must put an end to enabling this dangerously sick “leader.”
As I see it, debates such as these are of greatest value to those on the fence. The analogy to belief extremists holds here. Those who strongly believe and disbelieve are mostly immovable; their vested interests inform their immutable dogmas. However the true audience are those in the middle who are more open to changing their minds . So the question comes down to how effective and compelling the presentation was for them. Due to the chaos which ensued, principally from Trump, I suspect the debate was next to useless for that group. The real question is how will they react? I would hope they would vote based on what they saw: an irrational candidate on the one hand and a more rational one on the other. I have a gnawing suspicion many may abstain from voting at all. This could be the Trump camp strategy: disillusion and disempower voters so that Trump can win based on his reasonable reliance on his smaller base.
Advice for Biden. Ignore Trump totally. Speak to the camera and the moderator . Responding to Trump is like playing with a tar baby. You get his crap all over you. Be the statesman on the stage. Trump ( Benito ) will provide enough to defeat himself.
The debate was volcanic primarily because Trump’s negative and chaotic behavior was on full display. Trump’s performance boosted Biden as the best candidate in my mind. I could hardly believe that when there are so many important issues Trump expressed how proud he was of bringing football back…yikes. Moreover, Trump emboldened the Proud Boys by telling them to stand down and stand by…..acting as their commander. Biden did the best he could with Trump talking over him and like the rest of us humans he became frustrated with Trump’s bullying behavior. Id like to see the Harris/Pence debate but no further Presidential debates this year. From now until the election is over it will be a roller coaster ride so hang onto your seats and hold the light!
Only watched for two reasons: (1) happened to turn on TV Spectrum news and debate had already been underway for a while – (2) i had intended (but forgotten) to watch just because i feel responsibility to verify for myself what i believed would take place even without my participation.
The similarity of the actual event and what i expected did not disappoint. Because i am working on learning to follow The 8 Laws Of Change, and in particular the one that informs me to not have a pre-determined stake in the outcome and to be OK with whatever the outcome may be, i approached the accidental appearance of the debate on my screen as being “my higher self having over-ridden” my human Senior Forgetfullness to get me to be an observer to what i needed to personally and consciously experience in order to remain constant in trust of my ability to judge based on the basis premise of “what is in the service of cosmic and human Well-Beingness. I am learning to not second guess my decisions and this kind of activity helps me calibrate.
(Still working on run-on sentences.)
Until humanity works thru all our past karma (auri) and moves as a cohesive group into a higher vibration resulting from making more and more choices individually toward Well-Beingness ( BTW – thank you for that terminology – i love it) we will be forced to endure what i call “Spring Cleaning”. If enough humans have been (and continue to be) vibrating at higher levels maybe we can be influencers to help swing our society to the good, part of which is supporting and actively participating in the cleanup and movement while finding ways to help others overcome whatever is keeping them at the lower vibrations.
We can only reach what tradition has called heaven if we get there as a cohesive group, having helped and supported one another from step to step on the “Stairway to Heaven”.
The debate showed we have far to go but it also promised that the process has begun and the doors have been opened more than a crack to expose the soiled underbelly of what we humans have allowed to pass as humanity. (I like the imagery of doors. I use “anpu” in my signing mantra based on a friend (who studies Egyption antiquity) telling me i have a skill for “opening doors” … as in the Egyptian traditions of gods and godesses having particular skills and responsibilities.)
After watching this debate we can no longer use the excuse of “I did not know” (i. e. the open doors have exposed it all).
And now we can start on the demolition process (you can tell i have been watching way too much Fixer Upper) while working on the design plans for physical life based on sharing the abundance and cleverness and love …… to build what Bush #1 was hoping to build in his term … “the shining city on the hill” that will shelter and provide for all human out of Creator’s (Universe’s) abundance.
This in turn will preserve and improve our Big Blue Marble so that all its inhabitats, flora, fauna, insects, life we have not yet discovered, minerals and all that makes up life on earth as well as energies that connect to one another snd to the cosmos, ….. all thrive.
milka / Seeker-anpu
Here’s my solution to last night’s debate debacle. Put the candidates in sound proof enclosures, much like the old quiz show “The $64,000 Question”. The moderator introduces a question and one candidate speaks for 2 minutes. Then his microphone is turned off but he is able to hear the other candidate’s response. After each candidate has his 2 minutes each gets a 1 minute rebuttal. This eliminates candidates going over their time limits and prevents them from speaking over one another.
This would also allow the debate to be scored based on how well the questions were answered.
I was upset and disappointed last night. I turned the debate off after about 20 minutes knowing I could read about the outcome in the morning. The reports I have read today are nearly 100% favorable for Biden. Even his, “Will you just shut up, man”, comment seems to be acceptable under the circumstances by the mainstream media.
Mr. Trump is a walking disaster as a human being and an hourly, 1950s-era horror movie as president.
His comments supporting the Proud Boys made me vomit when I read them this morning. He clearly is inciting riot, civil discord, rebellion against the United States. He is not only an incompetent moron, he is murder of over 205,000 Americans, the clear king of grifters and historically the unequaled traitor of the people of the U.S., clearly beholding to whomever holds his $421 million in debt… a discovery that I hope will soon be ferreted out.
Trump’s loyal supporters certainly will never leave his side. Still, my hope is “the undecided” will begin to understand that they must vote this November to save their own lives and the future of their children and grandchildren in what remains as the USA our parents and ancestors helped to create.
Disgust and profound sadness. Of the three participants, Chris Wallace did the worst. Seriously overmatched by a loud-mouthed and chaotic Trump who was, to put it mildly, childish and irrational. While Biden tried to hold his own, the truth is he is neither the fastest guy on his feet or the strongest of personalities. If Americans are looking for somebody who will simply try to get us off the rocks, then Biden won. If we are looking for new direction and leadership, it is time to reconsider our choices.
One more thing: Trump gave the ultimate opening with his comment that elections have consequences. Like all platitudes, that one hides a deep and enduring question about American democracy. How do we keep all our citizens engaged and feeling represented despite changes after elections. That was an issue that Obama tried hard to address, but for the most part the two parties have failed to deal with. It was Biden’s moment to point that out and to talk about the bipartisanship and interracial harmony that would be his goal. An opportunity missed.
Now a bit of advice: Whoever is going to moderate future debates should have a kill button for each of the participant’s mics. Those kill buttons should, when pressed, automatically turn off the mic for five minutes. Even if this results in dead air, the fact that the moderator has turned somebody off might just get Americans to think.
Dictator donald is depending on racist militias to maintain power when he loses Deadbeat donald is dangerous
in the sickness that so many of us rec’d a booster shot of via the spectacle of last evening, I gained some relief from a friend’s fb share: <<Some of the wisest ideas for those feeling paralyzed by frustration and anger of the current state of our government:
The daughter of MLK and Coretta Scott King posted this advice as the next 4 months are going to get “real”.
1. Don’t use his name; EVER (45 will do)
2. Remember this is a regime and he’s not acting alone;
3. Do not argue with those who support him–it doesn’t work;
4. Focus on his policies, not his orange-ness and mental state;
5. Keep your message positive; they want the country to be angry and fearful because this is the soil from which their darkest policies will grow;
6. No more helpless/hopeless talk;
7. Support artists and the arts;
8. Be careful not to spread fake news. Check it;
9. Take care of yourselves; and
10. Decide, focus on and amplify what you wish to perpetuate.
Keep demonstrations peaceful. In the words of John Lennon, “When it gets down to having to use violence, then you are playing the system’s game. The establishment will irritate you – pull your beard, flick your face – to make you fight! Because once they’ve got you violent, then they know how to handle you. The only thing they don’t know how to handle is non-violence and humor.”
When you post or talk about him, don’t assign his actions to him, assign them to “The Republican Administration,” or “The Republicans.” This will have several effects: the Republican legislators will either have to take responsibility for their association with him or stand up for what some of them don’t like; he will not get the focus of attention he craves; Republican representatives will become very concerned about their re-elections.
Who won the debate?
What debate . .. I saw an alley fight.
OK, who won the fight?
Russia
Trump’s performance was indicative of a man who understands the people will not vote him in but doesn’t care because he is relying on the destruction of the voting process and the courts to install him as President.
Honestly? My family is a bit afraid after Trumps performance. We’re updating our passports and considering plan “B” – likely Ireland if all goes to hell. That’s not a liberal statement, just common sense as a student of history. We’re actually more moderate, not big fans of Biden either. We were disappointed Biden took the bait at times, but understandably so with such a ‘clown’. Little substance in the debate to discuss…. I don’t know – got two kids, need to make decisions on their future. There’s no future with Trump.
Joe Biden had to put his foot down a couple times to prevent the debate from turning into a typical trump campaign rally. Trumps aggressive and belligerent performance was predictable. The next debates will have to be held in mics on, mics off fashion. The only way, we will get any information on policy. Sad but true. The appeals to his base that we heard from Trump were predictable as well. His base is of course white racists. My knowledge of Shakespeare isn’t that great, but I think that this election is the classic human struggle, the battle between good and evil. If you’re a racist you vote for Trump and the Republican Party. If you’re not a racist you vote for Biden and the Democratic Party. Watching Trump was one of the more disgusting events I have had to witness. .
Based on the concept that the debates are supposed to provide a forum for the public to get a better idea of who and what the candidates are, this debate was a stellar success! Trump ignored the format, the rules, the moderator, his opponent, and all human decency. He was a braying,cruel, stupid, ignorant, narcissistic jackass who displayed his fascistic ambitions with sickening vigor and clarity.
No one could have done a better job of making Biden and the Democrats more appealing. Go, Trump!
This was Trump at his Trumpiest. He has complained endlessly about not receiving an Emmy for his role in The Apprentice. This performance deserves that award for his raw, brutally accurate portrayal of the truly disgusting homicidal maniac that currently occupies the White House.
WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM.
I watched the whole thing with a heavy heart.
In psychology, denial is a defense mechanism by which a person escapes dealing with reality. Aware people were not surprised by the debate debacle last night. But, Chris Wallace was surprised, even though Trump did nothing new. Wallace’s failure to prepare as the moderator.revealed the extent of his denial. Moreover, his failure/denial mirrors that of most people in positions of power in the U.S. Sadly, Biden, who spent the most time and resources preparing for the debate, was not adequately prepared, either.
The only possibility for hope is that the debate provided a form of shock therapy. Perhaps, staring reality in the face will shake people out of their denial. If not, we will lose our constitutionally protected rights as citizens to resist fascism before the year is out.
As a psychiatrist, I’ve written articles about Trump’s malignant narcissism, but I’ve avoided direct exposure to his speeches and tweets. I listened to the debate last night to get a better sense of Biden.
I was stunned, in shock from the venom spewing forth from Trump, and the utter disregard for rules of debate and common courtesy. Law and order, Hah! Today I could hardly function, felt as if I’d been bitten by a poisonous snake. A mixture of shame for my country and fear for the future overwhelmed me. Being Jewish, I’m extra sensitive to nuanced threats of street violence and worse from white racist thugs.
I was heartened by the dramatic increase in the betting odds for Biden, from a 9 to a 19 point lead overnight, as recorded as realclearpolitics. Though it’s a rightwing site, its aggregation of polls seems fair enough. I trust the bookmakers more than the pollsters.
I was pleased that Chris Matthew [sic Wallace] brought up climate disaster, even though it wasn’t on the agenda. Poor man, he was steamrolled, though he tried valiantly to maintain some sort of structure to the evening. Coming from Fox, I expected him to favor Trump, but he seems as fed up as the rest of us with the bullying and lying.
I felt Biden did pretty well against the onslaught, maintaining his decorum, getting appropriately angry, and defining his positions- some of which are disappointing, to be sure. He had more backbone than I thought, and I’m reassured that as president, he’ll do a fairly good job.
I’m not going to tune in to any more of Trump, ever.
The debate “performance” was not at all unexpected for me which is the reason I did not watch it. The next day I watched a few segments and read commentary which is all I could stomach. The reality show caudillo was over the top displaying his madness, meanness and general incompetence that really does start to remind one of Mussolini or Hitler. Excepting that those two actually built up their countries before destroying them. Trump doesn’t even pretend to build or improve, destruction is his only purpose/goal.
Trump is shining a bright and clear light on the inequality, shortcomings and failings of our government and society. He has torn down, blown up, wrecked so much and frankly much has needed to be changed for some time. Reform could happen if enough people become angry because of Trump’s corrupt money driven madness that is a reflection of a powerful aspect of our national consciousness.
The military-industrial-banking-pharma-security complex has been driving the country and world over a cliff for some long time then trump’s madness might just pull the whole thing down. The days of empire/super power are over, good, now let’s figure out how to work together for the betterment of all.