Back in the hot seat for the latest episode of the "Mid Atlantic" podcast were Aram Fischer in Oakland, Zee Cohen Sanchez in Nevada, Dave Smith in London, and Corey Bernard in Manchester. The topics to discuss chose themselves: the aftermath of President Biden's disastrous debate performance and the final stretch of the UK election campaign.
Zee opened with a pithy critical analysis of President Biden’s debate performance against Donald Trump, stating, “It was a sad day for America.” The debate has sparked considerable controversy, raising concerns about Biden's mental acuity. Aram Fischer tried to lighten the mood surrounding Biden's performance by comparing the Democrats' situation to the English national team's struggles in the Euros. I wasn't having any of that. He suggested that while Biden's performance was lacklustre, the Democrats might still be in a relatively strong position due to Trump's ongoing unpopularity. "Most people didn't really vote for Joe Biden in 2020. They voted against Donald Trump," Fischer explained.
Corey Bernard noted a surprising element of the debate: Trump's apparent discipline and restraint. Unlike his usual bombastic style, Trump allowed Biden to falter on his own. "Trump realised quickly he would do far more damage to Biden by shutting up and letting Biden damage himself," Corey observed, highlighting a rare moment of tactical restraint from the former president.
The discussion then shifted to the possibility of the Democratic Party replacing Biden as their nominee. Fischer emphasised that such a decision rests solely with Biden, given the current party rules and the absence of superdelegates who could sway the nomination process. Despite calls from some media outlets and party members for Biden to step aside, Fischer believes it's unlikely unless Biden himself decides to do so. "The only person who can decide that Joe Biden's going to step down is Joe Biden," Fischer asserted.
Shifting the focus to the UK, the panel examined the final stretch of the election campaign, where Labour holds a commanding lead in the polls. The Conservative Party, however, is embroiled in a betting scandal. Dave Smith explained that several key figures within the party were found to have placed bets on the election date, revealing insider knowledge and reinforcing negative perceptions of the Tories. "The biggest problem for the Tories is it just plays to the worst things that people think of them," Smith remarked.
This scandal, according to Smith, is emblematic of the "Tory toxic culture" that has plagued the party in recent years. Corey Bernard concurred, adding that the scandal exacerbates the public’s already negative perception of the Conservative Party. The panellists agreed that Labour's lead is not necessarily due to great admiration for Keir Starmer but rather a reflection of public despair at the Conservative Party’s continuous scandals and perceived incompetence.
I brought up the "good chaps theory of government" by Simon Kuper, which posits that trust in government stems from a tradition of moral rectitude and public service established in Britain since the 18th century. This theory has eroded recently, exacerbated by contemporary scandals and the public's unrealistic demands on politicians, along with the far right throwing bile into the political discourse. "We've created this atmosphere where it's impossible for politicians to be both entertaining and competent without being torn down for any mistake." The viciousness of social media and the 24-hour news cycle have only intensified this dynamic, making being a politician an almost impossible job.
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