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A couple of days ago I watched a replay of the historic and catastrophic (for the Democrats) June 27 debate between President Biden and Donald Trump. While viewing the debate I saw something that I wondered if anybody else had noticed. And that was the look on the ex-president’s face at one point in the evening as he watched Biden immolate his and his party’s electoral chances
Trump tilted his head and sharply focused his eyes on the floundering Biden in an expression that reminded me nothing so much as a bird of prey preparing to swoop down on its intended victim. Most of us have seen the tightly focused and ruthless stare raptors have while watching various nature shows, it’s the look an eagle has on its face just before it stoops to rend and devour its prey.
Apart from predation though, that cold, hard look may also demonstrate vigilance and calculation, which are essential for any national leader, especially the leader of great power like the USA, for navigating the shark tank of modern-day geopolitics.
Trump’s focused stare during the debate hopefully shows that Trump — if he manages to take back the White House — will probably have office hours that are more convenient for America than President Biden’s 10 A.M. 4 P.M. work day.
Discussion (34)
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Good eye.
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Trump’s demeanor at the debate had nothing to do with him. Both CNN and the Biden campaign thought it was an excellent idea to mute his mic when the President was speaking. Otherwise it would have been a repeat of his 2020 performances in the debate: obnoxious, badgering and bullying.
Was that “the raptor’s stare” or just a man who was pissed off because his mic wasn’t on?
At 78 years of age Donald Trump is who he is. Unchained from CNN’s technical grasp he’s going to be the same person he ever was, which is exactly why there’s a large portion of us on the right who are unenthusiastic about him being the nominee.
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A person who changed quite a bit, and continues to change.
From rich to broke to rich again; from Democrat to Republican; from Ivana to Marla to Melania; from builder to showrunner to POTUS; from shaving Vince McMahon's head to brokering the Abraham Accords.
The understated, winning debate performance with the instinctively perfect head tilt and response at the critical moment indicates a sharpened, more disciplined persona.
Next, he must up his game on VP selection, thinking more this time about succession. The Most Famous Person on Earth is a tough act to follow.
To many of us, the post-Reagan/pre-Trump GOP was an uptight citizen's brigade. A post-Trump GOP will have a difficult time retaining his 75 million voters.
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Especially if they keep up with the repudiation.
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That’s not change. He was, is and shall ever be an opportunist without principle. None of those things reflects anything but his belief in doing whatever it is he thinks benefits Donald Trump.
He was a Democrat in NYC because the machine runs that town and he was purchasing access and power. He’s a Republican now for the same reason.
He has had three marriages because loyalty is a one way street that has to benefit him. I have almost as many kids as Donald Trump but they all have the same mother.
Yes, Donald Trump has had many careers. He’s also screwed a lot of people in those careers along the way. But whatever brings him that temporary adoration is what he’ll do.
Again, not necessarily of his choosing. Some times political success is just dumb luck and failure on your opponents part. Trump didn’t maneuver Hillary into campaigning in California when she should have been in Wisconsin and he didn’t make the Biden camp demand the CNN mute his mic during Biden’s ramblings and incoherence.
Which is what happens when you build your political party around personality instead of principles. It’s not a selling point.
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