To say that the plot has thickened would be a bit of an understatement when referring to the drama of 2020. While the COVID pandemic has been at the center of this year's events, the looming Presidential election has also been generating it's share of attention.
More drama unfolded with the recent passing Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. And just when you thought things couldn't get any crazier, we found out on Friday that President Trump has tested positive for COVID. With roughly a month to go until the election, this latest development will likely have a huge impact on the approach to the finish line.
So, who, if anyone, has the upper hand at this point?
Let us look back to last Tuesday's debate between the two Presidential contenders. No matter who you might be voting for, I think we can all agree that this was a debate like no other. At times, it resembled an old Jerry Springer episode. It was hard to determine who "won" with all of the distractions. When it was over, I was left feeling like Dirty Harry when he said, "In all of the confusion, I kinda lost count." I think both guys could have done much better by simply addressing the issues and staying on point. But that's just my opinion...
Now, with the President likely having to be quarantined for the next two weeks, a major impact on his campaign strategy can't be ignored. Will the next debate, if there even is one, be a virtual contest? And if so, how will it be moderated? Chris Wallace had a hard enough time with the live debate last week. He must have felt like the ref in a WWF match. Can you imagine trying to control these two guys through a Zoom meeting?
Many feel like this latest COVID blow to Trump will give Joe Biden an easy path to the White House. If you used the polls as a gauge, I could see how you could arrive at that assumption. But you have to remember, most of these same polls had Hillary Clinton winning the 2016 election. And frankly, I don't trust the media to give us straight answers anymore.
I believe that the overwhelming majority of American voters already had their mind made up as to who they would be voting for on November 3rd. As a rule of thumb in most elections, approximately 40% of the voters will always vote Democrat and another 40% will always vote Republican. It's the remaining 20% that candidates desperately try to sway to their respective side. However, this time around, I believe that those "up for grab" votes are not quite as plentiful.
The mental impact on the President can't be ignored. Can you imagine being diagnosed with a potentially fatal virus a month before what is arguably the biggest election in our history? And let's not forget that the President is no spring chicken at 74 years old.
And no matter how you feel about the COVID restrictions, you have to admit that Trump has downplayed the seriousness of the virus at times. Even during the debate, he mocked Biden for "always wearing a mask". I am simply highlighting this because Trump's opponents can now use this as a "told you so" talking point.
With this being said, I was amazed at the vitriol that was spewed in Trump's direction after his COVID confirmation. I understand the dislike for the man. But people were actually celebrating the fact that he and his wife caught the virus. And many were hoping for the worst! Come on, people! No matter where you stand on politics, this is the President of the United States! Objectively speaking, if you want to defeat the man, do it at the ballot box.
Another thought.... what if Trump's health takes, at least a temporarily, a turn for the worse? If Vice President Mike Pence should have to step in at the last minute, how will that affect things on Election Day? Perhaps we should put the debate between Pence and rival VP candidate Kamala Harris on the fast track.
The outcome of this election will certainly have a huge impact on the direction of our country. The two candidates are polar opposites and they certainly share no love for one another. And when you factor in the division in America right now, we have quite the volatile situation. Fasten your seat belts folks, I think we're in for a wild ride.....
kw
No comments:
Post a Comment