Listen to a clip of Trump's speech today in Michigan. The one I heard was buried in a liberal commentator's sarcasm so I won't link to it. But I will assume you've heard it or yesterday's speech in Pennsylvania.
If Trump spoke like that in the first debate with Biden, who would have been his replacement? Is he suffering from dementia? Is he on drugs? Has he had a stroke? This is not mere mockery. Yesterday in York, Pennsylvania, his voice was just as weak. And I'm not referring to his obsessions. I mean his strength. He doesn't sound long for this world. He reminds me of William Jennings Bryan, the 19th century populist. Bryan's last hurrah was the Scopes Trial in Cleveland, Tennessee where he went head-to-head against the famous defense lawyer Clarence Darrow. Bryan was at that point a shadow of his former self. Even though his testimony only lasted 2 hours or so, he was spent by the effort and suffered a fatal stroke a few days later. [I wasn't there. I'm not
that old. I got that from
HL Mencken's Account of William Jenning Bryan at the Scopes Trial]
Anyway, some of Trump's physical weakness is probably depression, but in all the furor about Biden's age, Trump's age got glossed over. He's very old himself, and he hasn't exercised since school. His clothes hang on him because he's either undergone a radical diet; or his appetite has disappeared, and he no longer eats. Many old people just quit eating. My great-grandmother. My wife's aunt. It's Time whistling the game over. Yes, armchair diagnoses like mine are worth what you pay for them, but there's no denying that Trump does not have the energy or stamina for the office. Will he even make it to September? Who knows? Meanwhile, the election machinery schedule is written in stone. Ballots must be printed. Machines programmed and put in place.
Somewhere people are thinking about that. Republican people. If you think I'm exaggerating find a clip and listen for yourself. Whataboutism won't fix Trump's frailty.
-edit-
I'm not the first to compare Bryan and Trump, but Mencken -- from whom I got my picture of Bryan -- despised Bryan as much for his liberalism as for his religious fundamentalism. If you've ever seen the movie Inherit the Wind, you'll know my image of Bryan. Apparently, the man was somewhat different than the punching bag of Mencken and the movie.
kentuckylantern.com
