I posted on the night of the debate, "We are in the presence of a monster. Millions of Americans are living in an imaginary universe as a result. Trump is a dangerous, dangerous demagogue."
The debate was a disaster for Biden. The party is at DEFCON 1. He seemed way over-prepped, only to falter onstage. He had a cold. His voice was a hoarse whisper. He seemed feeble.
And Trump started in, immediately, with his insane ranting, and rambling non-sequiturs, treating the event as one of his own rallies. Making the most absurd, insane accusations of Biden, more than anyone could keep track of or respond to, in the allowed time and format. And Biden seemed—stunned, literally… and confused.
The nominee of the Democratic Party, whether it be President Biden, or someone else, as well as the news media, and all the rest of us for that matter, MUST start NAMING, and calling out, these rhetorical devices which Trump is using (whether he’s aware of it or not), immediately, in the moment—and direct audiences to listen for them, with each exchange. They cannot be allowed to stand. The tactics must be named, called out and explained for what they are, as soon as they are used. The tactics of "Accusation in a Mirror (accuse the other side of that which you are guilty);" "Gish gallop;" "Tu quoque" (ad hominem logical fallacy). It is terrifying to hear these propaganda techniques of 20th century totalitarian regimes being deployed in present-day American presidential politics. Dangerous tricks which deceive millions of gullible Americans.
ALMOST EVERY utterance by Trump was a falsehood. But they all went unchallenged; the moderators did nothing. A grave disservice to the country by CNN.
