Last night’s vice presidential debate reminded Americans why so many of them no longer trust the Mainstream Media.
Near the outset, moderator Susan Page pronounced that she would not necessarily ask each candidate the same exact questions.
What?
What kind of debate happens where one candidate is asked a question, answers it, but the other candidate does not get the same chance to share their answer and draw any needed contrasts? From the onset, this debate was perverted by the moderator to the detriment of both candidates.
Since 1960, no other presidential or vice presidential debate had ever been conducted in this fashion.
Three times, the moderator asked one question to U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and failed to allow Vice President Mike Pence to answer the same question. Not once did Page ask Pence a question, that Harris was not allowed to answer. This overt favoritism to Harris was witnessed by all.
Rigged? Well, you be the judge.
To complicate problems for the Biden-Harris team, when directly asked how their incoming administration would react, including what steps it would take if there was not a peaceful transition of power, Harris skipped the question entirely and went off on another matter. This should have been a slam dunk for her but it was a missed opportunity.
When asked in clear and simple terms if the Biden-Harris administration would “pack the U.S. Supreme Court,” Harris dodged the question just like her running mate did in last week’s presidential debate. This is not a difficult question to answer, but it certainly seems so for the Democrats. So, why won’t the Democrats level with the American people about one of the most critically important issues that citizens may use to help them make their final choice? The answer is clear. They are going to pack the Supreme Court but they are afraid that if they tell the truth that might hurt them.
On criminal justice reform, when Pence cited statistics that when Harris was a district attorney that she significantly increased the incarceration of African Americans, she failed to challenge him. And when Harris repeatedly said that she wouldn’t allow the vice president to lecture her about criminal justice, it appears that indeed no one needs to lecture her. We just need to look at the facts and they speak for themselves.
Furthermore, on another criminal justice matter, she mentioned that the Biden-Harris administration would push for cash bail. This fatally flawed concept has proven to be an embarrassment in states where it has been attempted because people who have been arrested do not generally show up back up for their court appearance. This undermines public trust in our courts and tells people that are arrested that the government is not serious about making them return to court to have their case resolved. It also means that the arrestee won’t be able to clear their record, even if they were going to be found innocent, which will inhibit their future ability to get a job, get a scholarship , or to join the military.
That’s why it was so significant in last week’s presidential debate when President Donald Trump challenged Vice President Joe Biden to name one, just one, law enforcement association group which has endorsed the Democrats’ criminal justice platform. The truth is, not one law enforcement organization has endorsed Biden. With 800,000 law enforcement officers in America, this is important, especially when you count their families, relatives and friends.
The logical conclusion is that Biden can not promise Americans’ the protection that all levels of government have as their first priority – public safety.
Throughout history, presidential reelection campaigns have turned on two fundamental concerns: is the president doing a good job, and inevitably. the state of the economy. But I have also predicted for months now, in fact, every Friday morning on the Ed Dean Show, that suburban women have elevated a new issue to number two in priority – security from Antifa and BLM invading their neighborhoods.
The vice presidential debate was helpful for many of us as we learned more about Harris and what she supposedly brings to the ticket. In truth, she does not bring much.
Barney Bishop III is a former executive director of the Florida Democratic Party, and the immediate past-CEO of Associated Industries of Florida, founded in 1920, and known as “The Voice of Florida Business.” He is also the CEO of the Florida Smart Justice Alliance, the first center-right criminal justice reform organization that consistently supports the Florida Sheriff’s Association and the Florida Prosecuting Attorney’s Association. He can be reached at [email protected].
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