What Just Happened!?

And are we sunk?

We are overcome by events.

The rapid collapse of the centuries-old Tsarist regime prompted Vladimir Lenin’s quote “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”

Consider the thirty days we’ve just entered.

June 27: Biden/Trump first debate

June 27/28: EU Council decides EU leadership for the next four years

June 30: French elections round 1

July 4: British elections

July 7: French elections round 2

July 9/11: 75th anniversary NATO summit in Washington, change of leadership

July 11: Trump hush money trial sentencing

These weeks confirm Comrade Lenin’s thinking. May we come through them intact.

Last night’s debate plunged the Democratic Party into panic, crisis, turmoil, all the words bandied about all day today, and for good reason. President Biden’s performance last night was a sharp shake by the shoulders, waking many of us from fitfully hoping for the best into undeniable and stark reality. 

The Biden campaign rallied in North Carolina today as if nothing were amiss. That is a strategy for defeat, because much is amiss. Last night’s debate can not be unseen. There will now be good, loyal Democrats who decide the man who debated Donald Trump last night ought not still be leader of the country come 2027, 2028. 

Strategy, tactics, practicalities about getting to a new nominee are a separate conversation, and maybe we can talk about that more over the next few days. There is a little time to take a breath and think what the Dems must do. Let’s not be rash. What won’t change is that real damage has been done to an incumbent already trailing in the six critical swing states.

Amid our national handwringing, at least one other observation comes to mind that I’ve yet to hear today, and that is: what an effective autocrat Donald Trump is poised to be. Last night we saw that he will look straight into the camera and lie to the country with no conscience, no remorse, no limit. No matter the subject. 

I’m off to Europe next week and there are tons to talk about. Let’s go see what others are thinking. Come with me and let’s talk about it.