A lot more smarm by Sue Robin

Last night’s debate was certainly a lot more tolerable to watch than last week’s shit show (not my words, but Dana Bash’s on CNN, though I don’t disagree with them). This morning, I woke up hoping that someone would write something in response and I was delighted to get this from Sue. She captures so much of what I, and I suspect many of you, perceive and feel.

13 With Ties to Right-Wing Militias Charged in Plots to Kidnap Michigan Governor, Target Police—US News & World Report

Whistleblower Scientist Rick Bright Says Trump Administration Has ‘Failed America,’ Savages China Travel Ban—Forbes

COVID drug Trump touted as a “cure” was developed using cells derived from aborted fetal tissue—CBS News

October 8, 2020

A lot more smarm
by Sue Robin, Los Angeles, California

Trump has Covid19 and no, I do not wish him ill or dead. I am praying for right action. That whatever God or Higher Power we have will bring forth peace from this constant insanity. I will not succumb to what I abhor, which is his pervasive inhumanity. Besides, what kind of crazy conspiracy ideas would that generate for his followers? A continuing illness would only give him an excuse for losing. His death would make him a martyr to his peeps and thus ensure a long-lasting world filled with Trumpettes. Most importantly, he would not face the consequences of any of his failed business deals, tax evasion or the numerous accusations of abuse of women. I suppose the complete corruption of his soul will be left to God.

The Vice-Presidential debate last night was again not really a debate, but at least a tad more civil, Pence’s obsequious comments, not with-standing. One could feel the unctuousness oozing from his every pore. Senator Harris memorized her talking points as did Vice President Pence and neither strayed from them; not to directly answer the questions nor to chase away the visiting fly. He and Trump must use the same hair spray, leaving their hair so coated that he could not feel a fly that landed on him for over two minutes. I fear that is only a metaphor for his inability to feel for the American people despite his comments to the contrary. Senator Harris shows a whole range of emotions giving us a brief glimpse of who she is. Pence shows us an icy glare. If we just read the fact check columns for each, Senator Harris won in a landslide. Pence lies as much as his boss only he does it with less bombast and a lot more smarm. He makes my skin crawl.

Today, Trump called Senator Harris a monster and a communist, showing the world clearly his disdain for strong women, really any woman, and his lack of understanding of political designations. He also refused to meet Vice President Biden in a virtual debate. I imagine his underlings are relieved. Not everyone believes that rudeness, impropriety and nasty ass comments are appropriate for a President, or anyone else for that matter. I imagine that a virtual debate would allow the moderator considerably more control over the mute button and that alone would not appeal to the President’s sense of entitlement.

The polls are trending positively for VP Biden and Harris, and that is comforting to me—though I remember the polls of 2016 trending for Secretary of State Clinton and that did not end well. I remain hopeful for a Biden/Harris win, but fearful for what Trump might unleash. A plot to kidnap Democratic Governor Whitmer was thwarted yesterday and several arrested and, while there is no one saying that Trump asked for them to do that, it remains a fact that he tacitly and sometimes overtly has called for violence and insurrection. There is no way to control what people on the fringe will choose to do in the name of the President. We must all vote and we must all hold the image of a peaceful transition of power come January.