Jersey native Dana Bash at the debate tonight pressed former President Donald J. Trump on a critical point when she asked him if he would accept the results of the coming presidential election and oppose political violence.
Trump, of course, did not accept the results of the 2020 election, and, in fact, on Jan. 6th, 2021, told a crowd of his supporters, “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” moments before those people marched to the U.S. Capitol, stormed the building, and attempted to prevent United States Vice President Mike Pence from certifying Joe Biden’s victory over Trump. Pepper sprayed during the attack, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick – a New Jersey native – suffered a pair of strokes the next day and died.
Before security hastened him out of the Capitol, under siege by a mob, Pence certified the results of the 2020 election, prompting Trump to tweet the following: “Mike Pence didn’t have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!”
It was just one more in a series of hate-filled, seditionary, and inciteful comments on a horrible day for the country as Americans watched the desecration of the United States Capitol by the followers of a spoiled and immature man who could not accept a loss and facilitate, as this country’s most powerful officeholder, a peaceful transfer of power.
Trump now faces felony charges related to his action and inaction on that fateful day.
He will not stand trial on those charges, however, before the Nov. 5th election, as his allies try to run out the clock and enable this man to regain the presidency. The immediate political outcome will require the voice of the people of this country – those who believe in America and in the wise exercise of American executive power – to once again peacefully reject Trump and enable the proper administration of legal justice.
Unsurprisingly, the Republican candidate for president tonight gave an incoherent and misleading answer to Bash’s question and follow-up. He claimed to have made “one of the strongest statements you’ve ever seen” in his repudiation of the Proud Boys on the day in question. It wasn’t. Not even close. Here’s a strong statement, made by InsiderNJ on Jan. 6th. We stand by it, and we stand by our belief that we must reject this man who – at a critical moment – abandoned our country and contributed to even putting his own vice president – and many others – at risk.
We will never forget the sacrifice of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick.
Tonight, because the primary voting members of the Republican Party cannot repudiate Trump, and the so-called leaders of the GOP fail to take a stand, we had to listen to him whine about the statements he made via twitter on Jan. 6th.
In the most significant moment of the debate, in our judgement, Biden responded strongly. “You’re a whiner,” said the president. “When you lost the first time, not one single court said any of your claims had any merit, yet you continued to proclaim this lie.” Of the coming election results, “I doubt because you’ll accept it because you’re a whiner.”
Well said. Accurate. And urgently important.
One of the great things about America, is we don’t whine. Certainly, when you look at the forward trajectory of the country’s history, the whiny voices don’t dominate. I remember asking a tough New Jersey political operative whose candidate appeared to be heading for a loss if she would go work for the winning side after the election. “No,” she said. “I don’t want to work for a whiner.” As it turned out, her campaign – and her candidate – didn’t lose. The voters evidently didn’t want a whiner, either.
If someone in politics whines, we vote that person out of office. And if someone who whines tries to get back into office ahead of a trial for sedition, we head him off at the pass.
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The highly anticipated presidential debate took place tonight, with both candidates making their case to the American people. Here are some key moments from the debate:
1. Climate Change: Both candidates were asked about their plans to address climate change. President Trump reiterated his stance that climate change is a hoax, while former Vice President Biden outlined his plan to invest in renewable energy and rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement.
2. Healthcare: The candidates clashed over healthcare, with Biden defending the Affordable Care Act and Trump promising to repeal and replace it with a better plan. Biden criticized Trump’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, while Trump touted his administration’s efforts to lower drug prices.
3. Supreme Court Nomination: The recent nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court was a hot topic during the debate. Biden argued that the nomination should wait until after the election, while Trump defended his decision to move forward with the nomination.
4. Racial Injustice: The candidates were asked about their plans to address racial injustice in America. Biden emphasized the need for police reform and criminal justice reform, while Trump touted his administration’s efforts to create economic opportunities for minority communities.
5. COVID-19 Response: The candidates sparred over their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with Biden criticizing Trump’s response and calling for a national mask mandate. Trump defended his administration’s efforts and promised a vaccine would be available soon.
Overall, the debate was heated and contentious, with both candidates making their case to the American people. The election is just weeks away, and voters will have to decide which candidate they believe is best equipped to lead the country in these challenging times.