OPINION:
What did you really expect that you would see and hear from last night’s debate?
The answer to that question probably depends to a great extent on your point of view or your loyalties prior to the media episode. At the outset, we should be pleasantly surprised by not only the format of the debate but also the demeanor of the moderators as well. Whether good or ill, the fairness and the process of the debate was an improvement over the “dog fights” that we have had to endure in past presidential election encounters.
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With that being said, more than likely if you hated one or the other candidate beforehand, you found additional basis for your preconceived notions as the evening unfolded. The tone of the conversation on stage was certainly vitriolic and full of personal attacks even about the golfing abilities of the two candidates, as if that mattered or was even important. If you were looking for statesmanship from either man, you would be the one most disappointed by the spectacle of the evening.
Wherever your allegiances may lie, make no mistake, from first-hand experience, I know that this type of event is extremely difficult and grueling for candidates. It is taxing both mentally and physically. To be certain though, in the final analysis, the visually striking performance of the debate that played out before our eyes last evening evoked one strong overriding emotion — we are currently being governed by a man who does not have the mental capacity to lead our nation. In fact, he more than likely is not even the person in charge.
Those of you who were watching intuitively realized that Mr. Biden is not capable of fulfilling the duties of the highest elected office in our country now or in the future. According to the talking heads in the White House, who came to his defense, Mr. Biden was suffering from a cold. Whether that is the case or not, he obviously was not “within talking distance” of coherency at times. That is extremely sad and even painful. I honestly hurt for the man and am dismayed that whoever loves him has let it come to this point.
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On the other hand, Mr. Trump performed much like he was expected to do. Even as Mr. Biden tried to land as hard a punch as he could (which either came across often as either weak or mean-spirited) Mr. Trump functioned as a positive foil to the dementia of his opponent. If you were leaning toward Mr. Trump in the lead-up to the debate, unlike those who were in support of the current president, your stance was solidified. If you were an anti-Trumper, you probably picked up on the sometimes “smugness” of his body language. In reality, Mr. Trump missed several opportunities to land some real “zingers.”
Ultimately though if there was a negative point to be made about Mr. Trump’s performance, it is that we almost wanted him to “pull his punches” on Mr. Biden who was an obviously much weaker opponent and at times appeared to be helpless. The greatest takeaway from the stage was not the quality of Mr. Trump’s performance but the sheer inabilities of Mr. Biden.
If there is a downside for Mr. Trump and the Republicans, it is that the results of the debate were an apparent knockout blow to the candidacy of Mr. Biden. While that may play well in November, the question in the next few weeks and months will be who Mr. Trump’s opponent will be when it comes to election day. The aftermath of the debate has placed the Democratic party on the horns of a dilemma.
President Biden’s party can only hope that he will voluntarily step aside as that is the only way short of death that he can be replaced. If he can be convinced to do so, will he resign the presidency or just his candidacy? Then who in the world will the left turn to in order to carry their banner? Certainly, anything can happen in an election as we have seen, but there do not appear to be many good options left for Mr. Biden or his party.
In short, if it were not apparent before the debate, we now know with certainty that our nation is in trouble. We peeled back the curtain and saw who was behind it, and as Dorothy discovered, the wizard was a fake.
But more than that, every leader of every country, whether they be friend or foe, has peeked behind the same curtain. The hoax perpetrated by those who have propped up Mr. Biden has put this nation at a distinct disadvantage in world affairs. By seeking to maintain their sense of power and to further their socialist cause, these nefarious shadow people who would be the surrogate unelected leaders of our country have done so at the expense of Mr. Biden’s health and the nation. They have created a constitutional crisis; unlike anything we have seen since Watergate and one from which our nation may or may not recover. The United States of America is clearly more vulnerable at this moment than at any point since 9/11, and we do not have the ability or the confidence to adequately respond to the coming whirlwind. Regardless of who may ultimately win the election in November, there is a grave and imminent danger to America as we speak, and it is very, very real.
Over the seven decades of my life, I have not lived in a time of greater crisis in America. Those of us at Southern Evangelical Seminary love our nation, and our hearts are pierced by the events unfolding before our eyes. There are glimmers of hope, however.
Just recently, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee legislature passed a resolution urging their residents to enter into a time of prayer and fasting for the state and the nation during the month of July. Please add to that grand chorus the voice of Southern Evangelical Seminary. We proudly join with the great state of Tennessee in calling all Christ followers to an urgent season of prayer and fasting for our president, for Mr. Trump, for our individual states, and for our nation.
At the same time, we recognize the need for our nation to repent, and that repentance ought to start with those of us who name the name of Christ. These days are evil in which we are living, and our only hope as a nation and a people can be found in the only truth that matters, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you now ready to join with those of us at Southern Evangelical Seminary and brothers and sisters all across America to stand steadfast in the shadow of the cross and the illuminating penetrating light of the empty tomb? It is the only choice left that will offer any solace to the predicament in which America now finds herself.
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After a successful career as a lawyer and judge, Judge Phil Ginn retired as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for the 24th Judicial District in North Carolina. Throughout his 22-year judicial career, he had the privilege of holding court in almost 50% of the county seats in North Carolina. Currently, Judge Ginn serves as the president of Southern Evangelical Seminary (ses.edu) and is a regular contributor to Christianity.com and The Washington Times. Judge Ginn has also been featured on Fox News, CBN, Newsmax, Decision Magazine, The Christian Post, Townhall, and many others.
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