Jim Newton

Itasca

To paraphrase a popular 1960s movie, what we have in America is a failure to communicate — and I don’t just mean President Biden’s recent Presidential debate performance vs. Donald Trump.

Even Democrats are having trouble spinning this one, but something isn’t being communicated.

The 25th Amendment provides succession from president to vice president if the president dies in office or otherwise can’t serve. It’s not there solely for ambitious, itchy-fingered “loyal opposition” members to cast aside a chief executive every time he stutters or falls off his bicycle.

Biden’s diminished debating skills didn’t stop him from passing a bipartisan Infrastructure bill, much needed gun-safety legislation and lowering health care costs for many Americans.

I’d like younger candidates too, but at least we know who these two men are, their plans for America if they’re elected and the type of people they’ll hire to enact those plans. If President Biden dies, enter Kamala Harris. If Trump dies, there’s, let’s see, Kari Lake. J.D Vance, Sen. Tim Scott, maybe even Steve Bannon — if he makes bail.

If you’re that repulsed over Joe Biden’s prime-time stumble, I guess you’ll vote accordingly. But do you always vote on the strength of one debate?