It’s July 6, nine days since Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, and decision day for the Democrats is fast approaching. But that time is not upon us yet.
In the coming week, there will be more polls, more interviews, a NATO summit, and a lot more information to take in. The test of our democracy and our citizenship is to contemplate all the scenarios that could happen between now and Election Day. But we must also consider the man who won almost 99% of delegates during the Democratic Party’s primary process. And we should honor that man, who was first on the ballot 54 years ago, by giving him the time to make his decision before we tell him we’ve made ours.
As bad as Biden was with his words, Trump was even worse with his lies.
This is not a reality show; we can’t make things up as we go along — that’s what the other side does. That’s what Donald Trump does. Instead, we must watch with open hearts and open minds. It’s clear Trump’s Republicans are not serious about their politics or their party, and they’re not serious about this republic. Unfortunately, last week’s debate reinforced that sorry truth more than ever.
As bad as Biden was with his words, Trump was even worse with his lies — and independent voters took notice. But instead of focusing on that, Republicans and their far-right allies in the media are in meltdown mode, saying, “I told you so” and accusing the press of a coverup.
Before they get too self-righteous, let us remember how Republicans long idolized an aging president from their own party, Ronald Reagan. His decline led an incoming chief of staff, Howard Baker, to commission a report in case the 25th Amendment needed to be used. So Republicans and right-wing media, please spare us your moral indignation over a man who had a terrible debate.
What Democrats need to worry about over the coming weeks isn’t what the newspapers say. They need to look to President Biden and he needs to answer the question: Is he capable of moving forward? Biden needs to answer that question in interviews, in news conferences and at the NATO summit. He needs to answer it in everything that he does. As for the rest of us — that’s Democrats, independents, and Republicans acting in good faith — let’s be smart, take a deep breath, and understand that it is only July 6. Such a historic decision should not be made in haste. I know the Democratic Party is not my party, I’m an independent. But it’s the only party standing between our democracy and an autocratic thug who has promised to be a dictator on Day One. Democrats, you better get this right because American democracy is riding on it and the whole world is watching. This is an adapted excerpt from the July 5 episode of “Morning Joe.”
Former Rep. Joe Scarborough, R-Fla., is co-host of MS NOW's "Morning Joe" alongside Mika Brzezinski — a show that Time magazine calls "revolutionary." In addition to his career in television, Joe is a two-time New York Times best-selling author. His most recent book is "The Right Path: From Ike to Reagan, How Republicans Once Mastered Politics — and Can Again."
Allison Detzel is an editor/producer for MS NOW. Recommended
