I’m going to try doing something I haven’t, which is to watch the debate and react in real time to what I’m seeing and hearing. Things I’m going to be watching for: Tapper and Bash debating Trump instead of letting him speak for himself; Tapper and Bash framing their questions for Trump with hostility instead of a studied detachment; seeing what kind of questions they toss to Biden (hardball or softball? relevant or irrelevant?); watching for Biden to start strong, then start slurring his schpeesh and getting his facts wrong; hoping Trump doesn’t just attack Biden but puts some solid policy solutions out there that will benefit all Americans but especially the white, working middle class that neither the Republicans nor the Democrats care about anymore; and listening for Trump to announce his vice-presidential pick. It better not be Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley.

My notes will be in descending order with some general thoughts at the end.

First question on the economy, and Biden blames Trump for what he “inherited.” Biden is already slurring. He sounds groggy. Trump: we had the greatest economy in the history of the U.S. Got us out of Covid mess; we had a great stock market; inflation is killing us.

Trump slams Biden for taking credit for “bounce back jobs” as proof of a great economy. That’s true; he’s counting jobs that were lost during Covid.

Tax cuts: Trump, with trillion dollar deficits, why should there be tax cuts? “Because tax cuts spur the economy.” “We took in more revenue with less tax.” We have the liquid gold right under our feet, oil and gas.

Biden: Trump had the largest national debt; then he says, “I’m going to fix the tax system.” Biden was in the Senate for 50 years and in the presidency for three and never did anything to fix the tax system. He’s gonna start now?

Biden just choked.

Trump is bashing Biden over immigration. (Trump hammered Biden on the open border all debate.)

Roe v Wade: Trump: I got abortion back to the states. Everybody wanted it back to the states. SCOTUS approved the abortion pill and Trump agrees with the decision. They blocked implementation of Iowa’s ban. Trump believes in exceptions to bans on abortion. We’ve gotten it back to the states.

Trump takes credit for “three great justices”, but that’s not really true; they’re not all “great.” Amy Coney Barrett and Brett Kavanaugh aren’t reliable conservatives. Just look at the censorship decision that ACB wrote this week. It’s an attack on 1A.

Biden: the idea that states should rule on abortion is ridiculous, like turning “civil rights” back to the states. He also complains that it was the law for 51 years. Yes, but it was a terrible decision and SCOTUS can overturn previous decisions.

Seven states have no legal restriction on abortion; does Biden support any restrictions? Biden keeps going to back to Roe v. Wade, which is no longer law. He promises to bring Roe v. Wade back. Biden is scare-mongering about what Trump will do if elected.

Immigration: to Biden: why should voters trust you to solve the crisis? “I’ve changed the law …” You bet he has. He makes it sound like he’s improving things but he wrecked what Trump had in place and opened the border.

Trump: “We had the safest border at the end of my administration. All he had to do was leave it.” Now we have the worst border in history.

You will conduct the largest deportation in history? How? Trump ignores question and hammers Biden on immigration.

Biden refers to his son dying from exposure to burn pits in Iraq. A tired trope.

Trump seems to be triggering Biden. I thought it would be the other way around. Biden is a nasty piece of work.

Russia/Ukraine: Are Putin’s terms acceptable to Trump? Trump hammers Biden on Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, refers to Afghanistan and the disaster it was.

Trump: “The whole world is blowing up under him.” Great quote and good for pointing it out.

Putin’s terms are not acceptable to Trump.

Trump seems to be benefiting from the format. It’s kept him focused and disciplined.

Middle East: Hamas attacks Israel: five Americans held hostage.

Does anyone else notice that Biden’s eyes look almost black?

January 6th: did Trump violate his oath? Trump avoids the question but blames Pelosi for the chaos and points out the recent video of her admitting she was responsible.

Great contrast between Biden and Trump on January 6. Biden thinks all the J6 prisoners deserve what they got.

Is Biden listening to someone? He touches his ear, then writes notes. Watch his eyes.

Biden is hammering Trump with a bunch of lies. Trump doesn’t get rattled … holds up great.

“There are fine people on both sides.” Biden repeats the lie that has been debunked. Even by Snopes.

Biden is losing it. Trump is getting under his skin.

To Biden: black families earn less than white families. What will you do to help? Biden is struggling in his answer. Hard to understand. He just admitted that inflation is hurting black families badly. He’s going to give blacks a $10,000 tax credit when they buy a house.

Trump is hammering Biden on inflation again. Biden: the economy was flat on its back … that’s why there was no inflation when I got it. So he admits there was no inflation when he became president.

All they are doing is hurling accusations at each other.

Climate crisis. “Extreme heat.” Will Trump do anything to combat climate crisis? Trump goes back to police and blacks and Hispanics. Yes, Trump wants “absolutely clean water and air.”

Biden’s repeated words are “damn” and “the idea.” And numbering his points.

Biden goes after the rich to “pay their fair share.” Along with giving blacks a $10,000 tax credit, he’s doing a bang up job dividing us.

Biden is running his sentences together.

Trump accuses Biden of being a liar. He is.

Biden credits “the fastest growing economy in the world” to immigrants. What a doofus.

Trump goes back to immigration and open borders.

Trump blows off making childcare costs more affordable.

Biden says 159 experts voted Trump the worst president in history. Nana-nana-boo-boo.

Trump regularly ignores the questions and speaks to his own topics.

What will Trump do about drug addiction? Close the border to stop drugs and trafficked women. “We need the machines,” to detect fentynal, Joe says. No, we need to close the border, Joe.

Age questions: Biden will be age 86 at end of term. I’ve spent half of my life in politics. Once the youngest, now the oldest. And he’s done nothing good in all that time except enrich himself.

To Trump: you’ll be 82 at the end of your second term. I’m in good health, mentally and physically. He challenges Joe to play golf with him. Biden boasts about being a six handicap.

What the hell did Biden just say about Trump’s health? They’re getting out of control. Only time in the debate the moderators almost lost control.

To Trump: will you accept the outcome of the election? Violence is unacceptable. If the election is fair and free … I wish Biden was a great president because I wouldn’t be here right now. “Stupid decisions” … if it’s a fair and legal election, I’ll absolutely to accept the results.

Biden accuses Trump of being a “whiner.” Biden sounds like a junior high school mean girl taunting the normal girls.

Trump: Biden does nothing. He says things but does nothing. Nobody respects Biden. Trump touts what he did, like “right to try.” We’re a failing nation. It will be great again.

My summary: The moderators get a passing grade. Trump mopped the floor with Biden. Trump demonstrated some verbal discipline. I think Trump benefitted from the format more than did Biden. He was forced to let Biden hang himself. Trump is very believable, unlike Brandon, who trotted out the old and tired talking points of “Charlottesville-fine-people-on-both-sides” (fully debunked), and reference to his son Beau who died of brain cancer after being exposed to burn pits in Iraq (correlation does not equal causation). Biden came off as a poser who fakes his anger and plays the tough guy that nobody believes he is. He slurred his speech, stuttered, mumbled several times. Trump was short on specifics with his policies and boasted here and there about what he would do as president or what would or wouldn’t have happened if he was still president. Trump avoided directly answering several questions. I don’t like that he accepts exceptions for abortion laws, but I can live with it.

A lot of Dems are panicking and there are lots of commentators who believe Biden will be replaced. I’m beginning to believe it myself.

Lots to contemplate this weekend. Have a good one.