• Welcome to the new Internet Infidels Discussion Board, formerly Talk Freethought.

Split Biden or Trump too old?

To notify a split thread.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump on Saturday night suggested President Joe Biden “should have to take a cognitive test,” only to confuse who administered the test to him in the next sentence.

The former president and presumptive Republican nominee referred to Texas Republican Rep. Ronny Jackson, who was the White House physician for part of his presidency, as “Ronny Johnson.” The moment came as Trump was questioning Biden’s mental acuity, something he often does on the campaign trail and social media.

“He doesn’t even know what the word ‘inflation’ means. I think he should take a cognitive test like I did,” the former president said of Biden during a speech at a convention of Turning Point Action in Detroit.

Seconds later, he continued, “Doc Ronny Johnson. Does everyone know Ronny Johnson, congressman from Texas? He was the White House doctor, and he said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history, so I liked him very much indeed immediately.”

Jackson was elected to Congress in 2021 and is one of Trump’s most vociferous defenders on Capitol Hill.


Trump, who turned 78 on Friday, has made questioning whether the 81-year-old Biden is up for a second term a centerpiece of his campaign. But online critics quickly seized on his Saturday night gaffe, with the Biden campaign — which has long fought off criticism about the Democratic president’s verbal missteps — posting a clip of the moment minutes later.

Emphasis added because this has so many layers. When I was growing up, we trusted doctors. I knew my grandma's doctor...he made house calls. My mom was a medical transcriptionist when she went back to work, and still speaks fondly of the doctors she worked for.

Yet doctors can be fallible, as evidenced by this guy. You'd think that the doctor charged with taking care of the President of the United States would be the most competent of physicians. You'd also kind of expect them to give the President a clean bill of health even if there were some concerns (because...reasons), but ole' Doc Ronny proudly declared that Trump was likely to live to 200. Not "given his age, he's in surprisingly good shape," but rather "OMG this guy could probably win the Boston Marathon, scale Mt. Everest, and land on the Moon if we just put him on a rocket."

Telling a white lie about the President's health is to be expected, but Doc Ronny told a whopper for the ages. Then he parlayed that fame into a seat in Congress. Medical malfeasance is the road to power, apparently.

Then his most famous patient forgot his name.


I'm really looking forward to the debate 10 days from now. If it happens, that is. Microphones muted except for the allotted time, no studio audience, no help from staffers, and only a pen, paper, and water bottle at the podiums. If Fragilego Mussolini doesn't bail, it has the makings of an epic shit show. Is Biden old? Yes, but he's probably spending hours over the next week or so preparing. Going over talking points. Going through mock debates. Memorizing his quaint stories about Corn Pop and that time he threw down with the cops at the 68 Chicago Democratic convention. Meanwhile, Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius" to debate "Crooked Joe" one more time.
This is the part that really shows a look into Trump's psyche: "He was the White House doctor, and he said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history, so I liked him very much indeed immediately.” All you need to do to get Trump to like you is to say nice things about him.
 
This is the part that really shows a look into Trump's psyche: "He was the White House doctor, and he said I was the healthiest president, he feels, in history, so I liked him very much indeed immediately.” All you need to do to get Trump to like you is to say nice things about him.
it’s not just “nice” things. It’s things that are over the top and show you are willing to compromise your personal and/or professional integrity to get on his good side.

Look at Sean spicer. On his very first day he was told to go out there and tell a completely ridiculous lie about the inauguration crowd size.

I think this is how Trump decides if someone is loyal or not. That’s why these republicans continue to spew nonsense just to stay in his graces.
 
Last edited:
Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius"
I’m imagining the cringe.
His staffers know damn well that Trump’s attention span has the duration of a lit match. They’ve got to be shitting a brick if Trump has any dream of “winning” a debate on the strength of issues.

The ONLY hope of scoring points in this format will be the “wall of lies” tactic, which Trump is better equipped than anyone to perform. He will spit out more lies in nine minutes than can be refuted in ninety minutes, and let the unaddressed lies carry the day for him.
I like the "sample defense" for Gish Gallop. Write down the lies, pick a small subset at random (or possibly the first two and the last one, for primacy/recency reasons), and then say "none of these were reasonable, so the lot is likely unreasonable; why should I answer a whole pack of lies once it's revealed as a pack of lies?"
 
Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius"
I’m imagining the cringe.
His staffers know damn well that Trump’s attention span has the duration of a lit match. They’ve got to be shitting a brick if Trump has any dream of “winning” a debate on the strength of issues.

The ONLY hope of scoring points in this format will be the “wall of lies” tactic, which Trump is better equipped than anyone to perform. He will spit out more lies in nine minutes than can be refuted in ninety minutes, and let the unaddressed lies carry the day for him.
I like the "sample defense" for Gish Gallop. Write down the lies, pick a small subset at random (or possibly the first two and the last one, for primacy/recency reasons), and then say "none of these were reasonable, so the lot is likely unreasonable; why should I answer a whole pack of lies once it's revealed as a pack of lies?"
I'll also note, once this has come up in a discussion I would just repeat any attempt to revive any of the middle lies as "you already brought this up and has been addressed as in my prior 'pack of lies' rebuttal; if you wished to see me rebut this in particular, your opportunity was in presenting it without being packed in with lies. Moving on from that, here are my counter-rebuttals: you spent your whole rebuttal phase with another pack of lies and didn't answer my argument at all."
 
Much as I detest Ronnie Raygun, he had the perfect line, honed with movie-timed perfection, to rebut practically anything effectively before the public, whether what he was rebutting was true or untrue: “There you go again.” Of course it has to be done with a jaunty grin and nod, and you’re in!
 
Much as I detest Ronnie Raygun, he had the perfect line, honed with movie-timed perfection, to rebut practically anything effectively before the public, whether what he was rebutting was true or untrue: “There you go again.” Of course it has to be done with a jaunty grin and nod, and you’re in!
It was the greatest generation's version of "Sure, Jan".
 
Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius"
I’m imagining the cringe.
His staffers know damn well that Trump’s attention span has the duration of a lit match. They’ve got to be shitting a brick if Trump has any dream of “winning” a debate on the strength of issues.

The ONLY hope of scoring points in this format will be the “wall of lies” tactic, which Trump is better equipped than anyone to perform. He will spit out more lies in nine minutes than can be refuted in ninety minutes, and let the unaddressed lies carry the day for him.
My hope is that the moderators will - when the candidate's time is up - simply turn off the mic. "You have one minute for a rebuttal, Mr. Trump" and then when he hits 60 seconds, it's "click."

Back in my old radio days, I was pretty good at doing a live read in almost exactly 60 seconds, and some politicians are good at this as well. Senator McCain actually practiced, according to a staffer of his that I knew. He spoke in 30 second sound bites on purpose. That's part of the reason why he kept getting invited back onto the Sunday talk shows.

Trump does not have this skill. What's more, if they cut him off, it will enrage him and throw him off of his game even more.
 
Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius"
I’m imagining the cringe.
His staffers know damn well that Trump’s attention span has the duration of a lit match. They’ve got to be shitting a brick if Trump has any dream of “winning” a debate on the strength of issues.

The ONLY hope of scoring points in this format will be the “wall of lies” tactic, which Trump is better equipped than anyone to perform. He will spit out more lies in nine minutes than can be refuted in ninety minutes, and let the unaddressed lies carry the day for him.
My hope is that the moderators will - when the candidate's time is up - simply turn off the mic. "You have one minute for a rebuttal, Mr. Trump" and then when he hits 60 seconds, it's "click."

Back in my old radio days, I was pretty good at doing a live read in almost exactly 60 seconds, and some politicians are good at this as well. Senator McCain actually practiced, according to a staffer of his that I knew. He spoke in 30 second sound bites on purpose. That's part of the reason why he kept getting invited back onto the Sunday talk shows.

Trump does not have this skill. What's more, if they cut him off, it will enrage him and throw him off of his game even more.

The CNN debate will turn off the microphones after time is up. Trump could still interrupt by screaming real loud. There will be no audience. And no long opening remarks. The CNN debate is on June 27th.

I suspect this will be one of the most fact checked debates ever. If I was Biden, I would repeatedly tell that to Trump. Lies and BS will be debunked without mercy. Every late night cable comedian will be salivating to see Trump lie, exaggerate or act the boor.
 
Trump is taking the notes his staffers hand him and throwing them in the trash, confident in his ability as a "stable genius"
I’m imagining the cringe.
His staffers know damn well that Trump’s attention span has the duration of a lit match. They’ve got to be shitting a brick if Trump has any dream of “winning” a debate on the strength of issues.

The ONLY hope of scoring points in this format will be the “wall of lies” tactic, which Trump is better equipped than anyone to perform. He will spit out more lies in nine minutes than can be refuted in ninety minutes, and let the unaddressed lies carry the day for him.
My hope is that the moderators will - when the candidate's time is up - simply turn off the mic. "You have one minute for a rebuttal, Mr. Trump" and then when he hits 60 seconds, it's "click."

Back in my old radio days, I was pretty good at doing a live read in almost exactly 60 seconds, and some politicians are good at this as well. Senator McCain actually practiced, according to a staffer of his that I knew. He spoke in 30 second sound bites on purpose. That's part of the reason why he kept getting invited back onto the Sunday talk shows.

Trump does not have this skill. What's more, if they cut him off, it will enrage him and throw him off of his game even more.

The CNN debate will turn off the microphones after time is up. Trump could still interrupt by screaming real loud. There will be no audience. And no long opening remarks. The CNN debate is on June 27th.

I suspect this will be one of the most fact checked debates ever. If I was Biden, I would repeatedly tell that to Trump. Lies and BS will be debunked without mercy. Every late night cable comedian will be salivating to see Trump lie, exaggerate or act the boor.
The topics for the debate will be:
1 Foreign Policy with an Emphasis on Geography.
2 Things a President Should Already Know.
3 Healthcare - Is Medical Science the Best Jumping Off Point?
4 Taxes - Who Needs Them?
5 Poverty with an Emphasis on Laziness.
6 Immigration - A Bushel and a Peck and a Tracking Device Around the Neck.

Dana Bash - "But first, I'd like you both to draw a clock with the hands indicating 9:45."
 
Much as I detest Ronnie Raygun, he had the perfect line, honed with movie-timed perfection, to rebut practically anything effectively before the public, whether what he was rebutting was true or untrue: “There you go again.” Of course it has to be done with a jaunty grin and nod, and you’re in!
Agreed. Charisma and/or presence cannot be underestimated. My now Trump-supporting dad, who was a lifelong Republican ended up supporting Bill Clinton just because he liked him.

What charisma does Trump have? Fuck if I know. The guy's not good on his feet------hell, he's terrible at improvising and has redefined the term "word salad." Future definitions will also include a picture of him next to it.
 
Since everyone thinks both candidates are too old, I'm sure there will soon be a proposed Constitutional amendment to limit the upper age of a President, right?
 
YES.

- my reply to the thread title
Yeah?
I’m afraid reality still permits that, barring events that are currently universally considered extremely remote, one of them is going to be elected in November and if they live through January 2025, will be inaugurated as President.
So, “too old” applies to my druthers and perhaps others’ druthers, but not to reality.
So I “druther” see Biden in office than the end of American democracy
 
How much time will Trump get when he is sentenced for his 34 felonies in a few weeks? July 11!
Ain't no McDonalds in prison. And eventually, we will get more court cases Orango the Clown has to deal with. September 10 the second debate is scheduled. If Trump isn't in the pokey then.
 
How much time will Trump get when he is sentenced for his 34 felonies in a few weeks? July 11!
Ain't no McDonalds in prison. And eventually, we will get more court cases Orango the Clown has to deal with. September 10 the second debate is scheduled. If Trump isn't in the pokey then.
Jes, nothing is going to happen until all the appeals are exhausted. SCOTUS will drag it out till after November. Delay, delay , delay.
 
Back
Top Bottom